A total of 1,539 children with comorbidities aged 12 to 17 were already vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said.
“Naging successful yung ating pagbabakuna dito sa pediatric group natin na nag umpisa nung Friday. Sumatotal na po ay 1,539 na lahat (Our vaccination for our pediatric group, which started on Friday, was successful. A total of 1,539 people were vaccinated),” said Dr. Gloria Balboa, director for the DOH's National Capital Region (NCR) Center for Health Development during an interview with radio DZBB on Sunday, Oct. 17.
Balboa said that the vaccination of children with comorbidities will soon be expanded to different hospitals in Metro Manila aside from the eight initial hospitals.
“Sa bawat LGU (local government units) may napiling hospital. Napili na nila, usually LGU hospital din nila pero may iba pinili private hospital (In every LGU there is a selected hospital. They have already chosen---these are LGU hospitals but others have chosen private hospitals),” said Balboa.
“Bibisitahin din po natin sila (We will visit them) to check on their preparedness,” she added.
The pediatric vaccination is being conducted initially in eight hospitals in Metro Manila: Philippine Children's Medical Center, National Children's Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children's Hospital, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, St. Luke's Medical Center (Bonifacio Global City), Makati Medical Center, and Philippine General Hospital.
The DOH official assured that the supply of vaccines is enough. To note, only Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are allowed to be used in the pediatric vaccination.
“Bago naman inumpisahan itong pagbabakuna sa mga bata, priority ang may comorbidities, meron po tayong enough na vaccines na magagamit (Before we started this vaccination for children with comorbidities, we have enough vaccines available),” she said.
Balboa said there were about 144,000 children with comorbidities aged 12 to 17 in Metro Manila.
“Sa buong NCR, yung ating target for 12 to 17 with comorbidities is 144,000 plus. Priority muna natin ang may comorbidities kasi sila ay vulnerable (Throughout NCR, our target for 12 to 17 with comorbidities is 144,000 plus. Our priority is those with comorbidities because they are vulnerable),” she said.
To note, the DOH estimated that there were around 1.2 million children with comorbidities from ages 12 to 17 in the country.