COVID-19 vaccination of kids aged 5 to 11 to be rolled out in 6 sites —Palace

COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old will be rolled out in six vaccination sites on Friday, February 4, Malacañang announced Monday.

Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the vaccination for the said age group will be simultaneously rolled out at the following sites:

• The Philippine Heart Center
• Philippine Children’s Medical Center
• National Children’s Hospital
• Manila Zoo
• SM North Edsa (Skydome)
• Fil Oil Gym in San Juan City

“Mahalaga po ito sa ating paghahanda sa muling pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes, pisikal na balik eskwela,” Nograles said at the Palace briefing.

(This is important in our preparation to return to face-to-face classes.)

He said Pfizer vaccines for the age group are expected to arrive this week.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said a total of 168,355 children ages five to 11 have already registered for vaccination in their local government units.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 medical adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa previously said around 780,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for children will arrive on January 31.

Meanwhile, Nograles said around 7.5 million or 59% of adolescents 12 to 17 years old have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of January 28.

“Tinitiyak natin na ligtas at epektibo ang mga bakunang gagamitin sa mga bata. Walang dapat ipangamba ang mga magulang. The doses for minors have been reformulated so that these are appropriate for them,” he said.

(We assure that the vaccines that will be used for the children are safe and effective. Parents need not fear.)

“Ibig sabihin, mas mababa po ang doses na ituturok sa kanila. Kaya’t kung available na ito sa inyong mga lugar, dalhin niyo na po ang inyong mga anak sa vaccination sites,” he added.

(This means that the dose that will be administered is lower. So once these are available in your areas, bring your children to the vaccination sites.)

At the Laging Handa briefing, Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi of the Department of Health-Technical Advisory Group said 400,000 among the pediatric population have tested positive for COVID-19

Meanwhile, she said around 2,000 minors were hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 16% of them in severe and critical condition.

“Kapag may comorbid conditions ang mga bata or may underlying medical conditions, sila iyong mas higit na may panganib na magkaroon ng severe or critical na COVID-19,” she said.

(Children with comorbid conditions or underlying medical conditions are more at risk of severe or critical COVID-19.)

Meanwhile, she said vaccinations prevent severe and critical COVID-19.

Bunyi added that most of the vaccination side effects experienced were mild such as pain at the injection site, fever, headaches, and increased blood pressure.

“Ngayon, ito pong mga side reactions na ito, puwede rin po nating asahan na maging ganito rin po ang puwedeng maging side reactions sa mga batang tatanggap ng COVID-19 na may edad 5 hanggang 11,” she said.

(Now, most of the side reactions could be expected from the 5 to 11 group.)

In the United States, only 11 out of 8 million minors aged 5 to 11 who were vaccinated against COVID-19 reported myocarditis.

Resbakuna sa Botika

Nograles said the Resbakuna sa Botika program — or vaccinations conducted in pharmacies — is also expected to be launched in Bacolod, Cebu, and Iloilo this week. The program was launched in Baguio City last week.

“Ang Baguio City ang kauna-unahang LGU sa labas ng National Capital Region (NCR) na nag rollout ng Resbakuna sa Botika program,” he said.

(Baguio City is the first local government unit outside the NCR to launch the Resbakuna sa Botika program.)

The program was initially launched in seven pharmacies and clinics in the National Capital Region (NCR) on January 20.

At present, around 60.3 million Filipinos have received at least one dose while 58.7 million have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to government data.  —KBK, GMA News