Some 1,285 out of 3,581 eligible tourism front-liners in the province of La Union have received their first dose of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine as of Wednesday.

In a phone interview on Thursday, La Union provincial information officer Adamor Dagang said the Provincial Tourism Office has hastened the vaccination rollout for the tourism front-liners.

“This is to protect the workers against the Covid-19,” he said.

Dagang said some of the tourism front-liners were also inoculated through their local government units.

Through the leadership of Governor Francisco Emmanuel Ortega III and in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) Ilocos Region, Dagang said they ensure continuous tourism operations by vaccinating the tourism workers.

“The vaccination rollout for them will be continuous since it started on Aug. 17,” he said.

The first batch was from Barangay Urbiztondo in San Juan, La Union, considered as the center of tourism in the province due to its surfing attractions, followed by workers in San Fernando City, Bauang, and other localities.

La Union’s tourism-related establishments are open to tourists from modified general community quarantine areas provided they present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test result. (PNA)