For 5-11 age group in Metro Cebu: Pediatric vaccination starts today

CEBU, Philippines —  Several local government units in Metro Cebu will administer the COVID-19 vaccine to its children between five to 11 years old today, Valentine’s Day.

 Over 174,000 children in Metro Cebu are eligible for vaccination, according to data from the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC). They will be administered the Pfizer vaccine.

 VVOC spokesperson, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, said 88,000 doses have been allocated initially for Central Visayas. Cebu City gets an initial 6,000 doses;

Cebu Province gets 26,000 doses; Lapu Lapu City gets 3,000 doses; Mandaue City gets 3,000 doses; Talisay City gets 2,800 doses; Naga gets 1,500 doses; Minglanilla gets 1,500 doses; Consolacion gets 1,600 doses; Cordova gets 1,000 doses; Liloan gets 1,500 doses; Bohol gets 20,000 doses; Negros Oriental gets 20,000 doses; and Siquijor gets 300. Project Balik Buhay (PBB) also got 100 doses.

 The ceremonial launch of the Resbakuna kids in Cebu will be held at SM City mall in Consolacion town.

Department of Health (DOH)-7 Director Jaime Bernades; Department of Education (DepEd)-7 Director Salustiano Jimenez; Philippine Pediatric Society-7 President Alfredo Bongo, Jr.; and Consolacion Mayor Joannes Alegado are expected to grace the launch.

 Aside from Consolacion, four other LGUs in Metro Cebu will also roll the vaccine out, including Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, Naga, and Minglanilla.

Cebu City will start vaccination on February 16 at SM Seaside City and the Cebu City Sports Center while Mandaue, Liloan, and Cordova are yet to finalize their schedules.

Mayor Junard Chan announced that the city will vaccinate its children at the Lapu-Lapu City Central School in Barangay Looc. He called on parents not to miss the opportunity to protect their kids from the virus.

 “Ang mga bata ang kaugmaon sa atong lungsod, busa kinahanglan natong siguraduhon nga mapanalipdan usab nato sila gikan sa biisan unsang sakit. Magtinabangay kita para sa ilang kaluwasan ug kaugmaon,” Chan said.

Talisay City, meanwhile, will vaccinate at the Talisay City College while Minglanilla will vaccinate at its town sports complex. Naga City will hold its vaccination at the Enan Chiong Activity Center.

Like Cebu City, Talisay will reserve a separate venue for the children’s vaccination. Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas said they will field mascots on site to provide an atmosphere of fun for the children.

 “Taas-taas gyud ang hinuwat nato ani for the guidelines from DOH and we finally got it… Naabot na gyud ang bakuna sa specifically formulated for 5 to 11. Lahi pagka-formulate ang bakuna sa 12 years old old pataas. One vax site lang sa ta kay dili man sya masagol sa ubang sites,” Gullas said.

Like Chan, Gullas urged parents to get their children vaccination. “Sa atong mga concerned parents, this is your chance nga ma-vaccinated inyong anak against COVID-19. This will also bring us closer to getting ourselves back to our normal lives,” he said.

In Naga, parents will be sent a text message or will be called to get the vaccination schedule of their children. Parents are reminded to bring requirements such as birth certificate and ID, among others, to the vaccination sites.

 Vaccines are safe

 The Department of Health has assured that vaccines are safe even for children with comorbidities. For those with comorbidities, however, they need to get a medical certificate from their doctors first.

Those who need medical certificates are those with medical complexity, genetic conditions, neurologic conditions, metabolic/endocrine disease, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, HIV infection, tuberculosis, Chronic respiratory diseases, renal disorders, hepatobiliary diseases, and immunocompromised state due to disease or treatment.

Older age group

Even with the start of vaccination for the five to 11 age group, vaccination for those between 12 to 17 years old continues in Metro Cebu.

 Children in the 12-17 age group will also need to be accompanied by their parents at the vaccination sites. Adults also still have a chance to get vaccinated, both for the primary dose and booster shot, as the national government has extended the 3rd National Vaccination Days to February 18.

 “Our LGUs follow national directives, so we continue on with the vaccination,” Loreche said. – Decemay P. Padilla, JMO  (FREEMAN)