The DOH earlier said it is targeting to vaccinate over 15 million children aged five to 11.
THE National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 reported on Thursday that the Philippines has already administered reformulated low-dosing Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to 26,363 children aged 5 to 11 years old.
The Covid-19 vaccination program for the pediatric 5-11 age group, which began on Monday, was initially launched by some 40 hospital-based and local government unit (LGU)-based vaccination sites.
Earlier, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., NTF chief and vaccine czar, cited the crucial contribution of vaccinating individuals working within the education sector and protecting minors against Covid-19, to the resumption of physical classes in the country.
“Inoculating students and other members of the academic community will ensure their safety when schools finally reopen,” Galvez said.
Galvez guaranteed that no fatalities were reported as a result of administering Covid-19 vaccines to minors.
Over 8.7 million children, he noted, are now fully vaccinated worldwide.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, meanwhile expressed full support to expanding the ‘Resbakuna Kids’ program throughout the country, noting it is crucial to the safety of reopening the face-to-face classes, specifically those in high-risk areas.
“We cannot move to new forms, to new ways of teaching unless our children are safe, unless they are healthy, unless they are also happy with the learning experience,” Briones said.
The vaccination of kids 5-11 will be expanded to more sites nationwide by February 14.
The government intends to vaccinate more than 39.41 million children aged zero to 17 years old, with 12.74 million aged 12 to 17 years old, 15.56 million aged 5 to 11 years old, and 11.11 million aged zero to 4 years old.
