The pediatric coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination of children age five to 11 years old was further expanded in areas outside Metro Manila as it officially kicked off in Bulacan on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. graced the ceremonial launching of the “Resbakuna Kids” at the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in Malolos, Bulacan where he revealed that more than 18,000 children already received their first dose of the reformulated Pfizer vaccine in the first two days of the vaccination program.
The pediatric vaccination for the said age bracket was launched on Monday.
“Nagkakaisa po tayo sa iisang layunin na protektahan ang ating mga anak sa sakit at tiyakin ang kanilang kalusugan at magandang kinabukasan (We are united in one goal to protect our children from the disease, and ensure their health and good future),” Galvez said.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, there were a total of 18,966 kids who were vaccinated in 40 vaccination sites in Metro Manila, Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4A), and Soccsksargen (Region 12), according to the National Vaccination Operations Center.
In Metro Manila, there were 18,420 children that were inoculated; 80 in Region 3; 166 in Region 4A; and 300 in Region 12.
Galvez said that the national government will decide whether or not it will also start the vaccination of zero to four year old kids soon just like in the United States.
“Ang sinasabi ni Dr. Fauci, kailangan maaprubahan na ang zero to four. Meaning, sila nagpaplano na sa US, very advanced ang medicine nila, nagpaplano na sila na by the end of February or beginning of March magsisimula na rin sila sa zero to four (Dr.Fauci said that there is a need to approve the vaccination of zero to four . That means they are already planning it in the US, since they have very advanced medicine, to have it started by the end of February or beginning of March),” he noted.
Fauci is the chief medical adviser of US President Joseph “Joe” Biden Jr.
Galvez stressed that the vaccination of the younger population is crucial to protect all members of every Filipino family, saying that children are one of the most vulnerable sectors to the disease.
Galvez cited the case in Cebu where 164 children died due to COVID-19, more than a hundred of them were aged zero to 12 years old.
“Doon lang namin nakita na ang mga kabataan ay vulnerable din (That was when we realized that the children are also vulnerable),” said Galvez as he recalled their visit to the province last week.