ILOILO City – This southern city targets to vaccinate against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) approximately 57,600 minors between five to 11 years old. According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the city government is ready to start the vaccination.
“I can’t wait to protect our children from COVID-19. I hope parents will cooperate,” he said.
The city government will dedicate two of its mega vaccination sites for the vaccination of children – the covered gymnasium of Central Philippine University in Jaro district and that of Ateneo de Iloilo in Mandurriao district.
Treñas said the city government has already readied several teams for traffic management, crowd control, data management, and medical concerns, among others, in the two vaccination sites.
He gave no specific date when the vaccination would commence. The National Task Force Against COVID-19 recently said it would be piloted first in Metro Manila beginning Feb. 4 and would gradually be expanded to areas outside the national capital.
“We are coordinating now with (National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar) Secretary Carlito Galvez,” said Treñas.
Dr. Annabelle Tang, officer in charge of the City Health Office, said there is going to be a registration.
“We will follow the same procedure as the 12 to 17 years old and adults,” she said.
The registration will be done in their respective barangays or in identified malls.
“I commend the vaccinators of Iloilo City, some of whom are volunteers who continue to man vaccination sites while exposing themselves to possible infection,” said Treñas.
“Let the spirit of volunteerism be our weapon in this most challenging time,” he added.
The Food and Drug Authorization has issued emergency use approval for the lower dosage of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 years old.
The national government is eyeing the vaccination of at least 13.5 million of these children.
According to Galvez during the late night broadcast of President Rodrigo Duterte on Jan. 24, children in the 5 to 11 category will be given doses lower than the ones given to those in the 12-17 years old category. He said each vaccine dose will only be10 micrograms per dose of 0.2 milliliters.
In contrast, those in the 12 to 17 category were given 30 micrograms per 0.3 milliliters of vaccine.
On Jan. 25, National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF) medical adviser Ted Herbosa said the country is expected to receive the first shipment of 780,000 doses of Pfizer’s pediatric formulation on Jan. 31./PN
