Gov't eyes vaccination of kids 5 to 11 on first week of Feb. —DOH

The government is eyeing to inoculate minors aged 5 to 11 years old against COVID-19 on the first week of February, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said the government is waiting for its order of Pfizer doses for the said age group to arrive.

“Ang tinitignan nating date, earliest first week of February, maumpisahan natin ‘yung pagbabakuna ng ating 5 to 11,” Cabotaje said at the Laging Handa briefing.

(We are eyeing, at the earliest, to start our vaccination of the 5 to 11 years old on the first week of February.)

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the first tranche of the vaccine may arrive by the end of January or the first week of February.

“We have to understand there is a global shortage of these 5 to 11 years old na bakuna coming from this manufacturer, kaya nagkakaroon ng allocation per country sila ngayon,” Vergeire said at the Palace briefing.

(We have to understand there is a global shortage of vaccines for the 5 to 11 year olds coming from this manufacturer, that’s why they’re having an allocation per country.)

“Hopefully, ‘yung commitment nila that they will provide us by the end of January until first week of February with the initial tranche for our vaccines [ay matuloy],” she added.

(Hopefully, their commitment that they will provide us by the end by the end of January until the first week of February with the initial tranche for our vaccines will materialize.)

In late December of 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11 years old. —KBK, GMA News