COVID-19 vaccination on minors nationwide set on November 3
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 1:50 p.m.) — The Philippines will expand further its COVID-19 vaccination on minors to as young as 12 across the country early next month, inoculation czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday.
All vaccination efforts on the said age group, or those 12 to 17, are still on a pilot basis in select hospitals in the National Capital Region.
But Galvez told CNN Philippines' "The Source" that such would begin to include those outside Metro Manila by next month.
"They could start as early as November 3," he said, adding that even children with no underlying conditions or comorbidities could get the jabs by then.
The senior administration official said 28 hospitals are currently administering the vaccines to children.
By end of this week, Galvez said an additional 50 medical facilities nationwide would be allowed for the move.
The Department of Health confirmed to reporters the expanded rollout on minors, saying guidelines are now being drafted.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire added some 18,666 adolescents have received their first dose during the initial phase of the pediatric inoculation in the capital region.
Vaccinating minors proved to be more crucial in the past months, as many of the age group were infected that experts said may be driven by the Delta variant.
Local regulators have cleared two vaccine brands so far for individuals below 18: Pfizer and Moderna.
By October 26, data showed there are now 26.18 million Filipinos fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
That rate is out of the targeted 77.13 million by the government this year to meet "population protection."
Some 30.59 million have received an initial shot, with 56.77 million doses administered in total.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story stated that the expanded vaccination of minors is set on November 5. This has been updated after the DOH later on clarified the date to November 3.
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