Children aged 12 to 17 years old in San Juan Cit already received their first dose of Pfizer vaccines at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City on Nov. 3, 2021. Next up for vaccination in the second quarter of 2022 are those aged zero to four years old. (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The national government is aiming to start vaccinating children aged zero to four years against COVID-19 this year, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the country’s vaccine manager, said in a taped briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte that aired late Monday night.
Galvez said the government aims to vaccinate about 11.11 million 0 to 4-year-olds against the severe respiratory disease starting in the second quarter of the year.
Meanwhile, children 5 to 11 years old may start to receive their vaccines by the end of January.
“We are now making some contingencies to acquire doses that we need to include ages 0 to 4,” he said.
The government also aims to vaccinate a total of 90 million individuals against COVID-19 by June 2022 and provide over 72 million booster shots for adults.
It also aims to inoculate 12 million teenagers 12 to 17 years old with boosters, Galvez added.