Cebu may start vaccinating kids aged 5-11 years by mid-Feb
FILE PHOTO: A health worker prepares a dose of the BioNTech Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination for seafarers at a stadium in Manila on July 15, 2021. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Local health officials in Cebu are expecting to start administering COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 5 to 11 years old within this month.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, chief pathologist of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7), said that the national government has already released its guidelines for vaccinating minors belonging to the age group 5 to 11 years old.
With this, Loreche said Cebu may begin actual inoculation in mid-February.
“The guidelines have already been released but it will start at the NCR (National Capital Region) first before we can do. We will wait for that but the target is sometime mid of February,” said Loreche.
In the meantime, the DOH-7 official urged local government units (LGUs) to start preparing for the rollout.
“Our team had already cascaded the guidelines including encouraging the LGUs to do the registrations so we will know exactly pila kabuok ang atoang 5 to 11 years old,” she added.
Similar to the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines for minors age 12 to 17 years old, health officials recommended to local governments prioritize those with co-morbidities.
They also suggested putting up a dedicated vaccination center specifically for vaccinees aged 5 to 11 years old.
In Cebu City, its local health department has begun identifying establishments that could serve as vaccination centers for children aged 5 to 11 years old.
According to Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, City Health Officer, they are considering the gym inside the Cebu City Sports Center as a possible vaccination site.
Ibones also said they have already started masterlisting children 5 to 11 years old. As of February 1, around 4,000 names were registered.
Local health officials continue to encourage parents to have their children inoculated as protection against COVID-19.
/bmjo
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