DOH to hold COVID-19 vaccination drives in schools

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will conduct COVID-19 vaccination in private and public schools, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

The DOH is coordinating with the Department of Education and local government units to facilitate vaccination activities in educational institutions, Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje told state broadcaster People’s Television.

“Magkakaroon tayo ng school-based vaccination. Inaayos lang ‘yung mga guidelines,” said Cabotaje, who also heads the National Vaccination Operations Center.

(We will have school-based vaccination. We’re just crafting the guidelines.)

“Marami pa tayong school [children] aged five to 11 na puwedeng bakunahan,” she added.

(We still have a lot of schoolchildren aged five to 11 that can be immunized.)

In a resolution dated May 12, the government’s pandemic task force strongly encouraged public and private schools for basic education to conduct COVID-19 vaccination programs for their learners.

The task force said the school-based vaccination programs should be conducted “with the informed consent given and signed by the parent or guardian, and the assent given by the learner pursuant to applicable DOH guidelines.”

Latest data from the government showed that over 68.6 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Of the figure, only 13.6 million have gotten booster shots.