MANILA, Philippines – Several local government units (LGU) in Metro Manila have opened COVID-19 vaccination registration for minors aged 12 to 17 years old.
LGUs namely Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila and Pateros have begun accepting 12 to 17 year-old individuals into its COVID-19 vaccine registration system in preparation for the planned inoculation of minors.
Last month, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s brand of COVID-19 vaccine among minors aged 12 to 15 years old, changing the prior emergency use authorization allowing the use of the vaccine for individuals 16 years old and above.
This was followed by FDA’s approval of the use of Moderna brand of COVID-19 vaccine among minors aged 12 to 17 years old last September 3.
However, Department of Health (DOH) undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire emphasized that the Philippines’ vaccination strategy should prioritize A1 to A5 groups, the vulnerable populations, due to the limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.
Early this month, DOH secretary Francisco Duque said that children can be slowly included in the vaccination program in the last quarter of the year.
“Kasi iyong supply natin, makukuha natin ang bulto 4th quarter of this year. Once we get the bulk of the volumes, we can slowly include the children in the program,” Duque said.
The government is set to receive 137 million doses from September until the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged the national government to include minors in the vaccination program after more than 100 children at the Gentle Hands Orphanage in Quezon City contracted the virus.
“We understand that there is a vaccine shortage at the moment but once our country gets a regular supply of vaccines with FDA approval for vaccinating 17 and below we should consider this right away,” Belmonte said.
To register, check out the following list:
— Mini, The Summit Express
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