(Image courtesy of DOH-Western Visayas) BACOLOD CITY - The Negros Occidental provincial government has set an eight-day vaccination campaign this June to boost protection among the Negrenses against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). In a Facebook post on Friday, the Department of Health in Western Visayas (DOH-6) enjoined those who have yet to get jabbed to avail of the Covid-19 vaccine during the Provincial Vaccination Days. The first two days were held on June 2 and 3 while in the next two weeks, every Thursday and Friday, will be on June 9 and 10 as well as from June 16 to 17. In the final week, the vaccination days will be held on June 21 and 22. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government is depending on the local government units (LGUs) to boost the Covid-19 vaccination in their respective areas. He added that barangay health workers who would be able to convince the unvaccinated will receive cash incentives. Those who volunteer to get vaccinated, particularly the senior citizens, can avail of five kilos of rice each, he said. As of June 3, data from the DOH-6 showed Negros Occidental has fully vaccinated 929,061 individuals aged 18 to 59, or 64.99 percent of the 1.429 million target vaccinees. Some 1.058 million Negrenses, or 74.01 percent, have already availed of the first dose in the said age group. Among the senior citizens or those 60 years old and above, some 135,247 individuals, or 50.17 percent of the target 269,602 vaccinees have been fully vaccinated while 138,481 elderly persons, or 51.36 percent, have availed of the first dose. With its low vaccination coverage rate among the senior citizens, the entire Negros Occidental cannot yet be de-escalated to Alert Level 1, the lowest category in the country's Covid-19 alert level system. Still, only seven out of the 31 LGUs in the province have been placed under Alert Level 1 until June 15 by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases while the rest of the province is still under Alert Level 2. (PNA) }