The vaccination drive for minors aged 5 to 11 in Manila is ready to roll out, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
In a Facebook live, Domagoso said the city government is just waiting for the green light of the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 for the implementation of the program which is set to start on Feb. 4.
“Nakahanda na po ang inyong pamahalaang lungsod sa pagbabakuna ng ating mga kabataan na may edad 5 hanggang 11 taong gulang. We are just awaiting word from the DOH as to our schedule in Manila, kung kailan nila kami bibigyan ng mga bakuna para sa mga bata (The city government is ready to vaccinate our youth aged 5 to 11 years old. We are just awaiting word from the DOH as to our schedule in Manila, when they will give us vaccines for children),” he said.
The number of children that will be accommodated daily has yet to be determined as it will still depend on the number of supplies that will be given by the DOH, Domagoso said.
Domagoso, meanwhile, urged anew the parents and guardians of the children in the allowed age bracket to pre-register them through the local government’s online vaccine registration site https://manilacovid19vaccine.ph.
The Manila mayor assured that the vaccination of children below 12 years old has been recommended by the World Health Organization, the DOH, and other health experts.
“So huwag po tayong mangamba (So let us not worry). We were assured that the vaccine would be safe. Mas delikado kung walang bakuna (It’s more dangerous not to have vaccines),” he said.
The government is aiming to vaccinate 14.7 million children in the 5 to 11 age group.
Around 780,000 doses of Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine is expected to arrive in the country on Jan. 31.
As of Jan. 25, the city has so far vaccinated a total of 248,274 minors ages 12 to 17. Of these, 135,124 minors got their first jabs while 113,150 have been fully vaccinated.