SEVERAL pharmacies and private clinics in the cities of Bacolod, Cebu and Iloilo in the Visayas will offer free COVID-19 booster shots this week to ramp up government’s vaccination drive, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said yesterday.
The government initially implemented the “Resbakuna sa Botika” with five pharmacies and two private clinics in Metro Manila before it expanded it to Baguio City last week.
After the launch in the Visayas, the program will be expanded to Mindanao.
Booster shots are initially offered but the private clinics would also offer the primary shots or the first and second shots soon.
Nograles said that as of January 30, about 7.3 million booster shots have been administered nationwide. The government targets to administer around 72 million booster doses before President Duterte steps down in June.
The government has administered some 126.47 million doses nationwide as of January 30, with about 60.34 million individuals getting their first dose while 58.79 million now fully vaccinated.
Nograles said the government identified six vaccination centers in Metro Manila where reformulated pediatric vaccines will be administered on the five-to-11-year-olds — Fil Oil Gym in San Juan City, Manila Zoo in Manila, and the Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, and SM North EDSA (Skydom,e) all in Quezon City;
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. last week said the government is eyeing at least 24 vaccine sites, half of which are hospitals, in Metro Manila where the pediatric vaccination will be piloted on February 4 and February 5 before it is expanded to the rest of the country.
Nograles said the vaccination of the minors is important as it is in preparation for the resumption of the face-to-face or in-person classes. He again reassured the public of the safety and effectiveness of the jabs.
The government aims to fully vaccinate and give booster to 15.56 million kids aged five to 11 years by the end of June.
The government started that vaccination of adolescent (12-to-17-years) last November and has now fully vaccinated about .5 million or 59 percent of the 12.74 million target, as of January 28.
Quezon City, which has 140 vaccination sites.
The Department of Interior Local Government said focal persons in local government units (LGUs) are undergoing training for the vaccination of children aged five to 11 years, under the supervision of the National Vaccine Operations Center.
Interior Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the government is hoping to vaccinate about 15 million children aged five to 11 during the vaccination that starts in Metro Manila on Friday.
Malaya urged parents and guardians to bring documents to prove their relationship with the children to be vaccinated.
“Bring their (children’s) birth certificates and the children, aged five to 11, will be asked to sign assent forms before they will be vaccinated,” said Malaya.
Medical clearance for children with comorbidities should also be brought during the vaccination, he added.
The president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) said getting young children vaccinated against COVID-19 will not only shield them from potential severe cases of COVID-19 but will be a step nearer to bringing about normalcy in their lives. — With Victor Reyes
