Philippines eyes COVID-19 vaccination of students in schools

The Philippine government is looking at implementing a COVID-19 vaccination program in schools for students who will return to face-to-face classes, as the country seeks to boost efforts in inoculating more individuals.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the COVID-19 vaccination program for students will be implemented similar to other vaccines for measles and polio already being offered to students.

“We have already articulated this to [Education] Secretary [Leonor] Briones so that we can ramp up the relatively low vaccine coverage for the students in the basic education sector,” Duque told President Rodrigo Duterte in a taped meeting aired Tuesday.

The suggestion came from Duterte, who proposed that students be allowed to attend in-person classes provided that vaccination programs for them are rolled out by the government.

The planned program will cater to minors between the ages of 5 and 11, and has already been communicated by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. to the academic institutions.

Latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) show that the country has administered a total of 147.117 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of May 1.

This includes 65.719 million first doses, 67.911 million second doses, and 13.487 million booster doses, versus the country’s estimated population of 110 million.

Presidential adviser on COVID-19 response Vince Dizon said supplies are already available for the schools, with some 15 million doses for pediatrics already in the country and some 10 million currently in stock.

“The IATF, I think, in its next meeting, will issue such a strong endorsement or strong encouragement for private schools in particular to go back to face-to-face classes,” he said in the same meeting.

Dizon noted that some 60% of public schools across the country have already resumed face-to-face classes, with the figure on track to increase moving forward.  —KBK, GMA News