ILOILO City – Vials of the Pfizer vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reformulated for children from five to 11 years old are arriving here today, Feb. 12.
This has been studied by scientists across the globe and found to be safe, stressed Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.
Those intended for Iloilo city and province, Guimaras and Antique – a total of 3,750 vials – would be flown from Metro Manila to the Iloilo Airport.
A total of 780,000 doses from abroad reached the Philippines on Feb. 4.
Iloilo province will receive 2,000; Iloilo City, 1,000 vials; Antique, 550 vials; and Guimaras, 200 vials.
Those for Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Aklan, and Capiz would be directly delivered to them, too, via their respective airports.
There will be cross-docking. Pag-abot, sal-on dayun sang kada probinsya or city,” said Dr. Jocelyn Te, Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 spokesperson.
She had no figures on the vials allocated for Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Aklan, and Capiz.
The reformulated Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is a dilute-to-use, multi-dose vial (10 doses per vial). It can be administered at .2 mL (10mcg), and once thawed, it can be stored at +2 to +8 degree Celsius for 10 weeks.
DOH Region 6 will roll-out the pediatric vaccination for the five- to 11-years-old age group on Monday, Feb. 14. It targets to vaccinate 1,080,597 children.
In Iloilo City, the city government will be launching the pediatric vaccination at St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo at 9 a.m.
This will be led by Mayor Jerry Treñas, Cong. Julienne Baronda, DOH regional director Dr. Adriano Suba-an; Dr. Teresa Martirez-Hallegado, president of the Philippine Pediatric Society Western Visayas chapter; and Hospital Administrator, Sr. Ma. Jessica Formacion.
Treñas encouraged parents and guardians to have their children vaccinated to boost immunity and protection against COVID-19.
There are three mega vaccination sites here: SM City, Robinsons Place Jaro and Megaworld.
“We are very confident that many people will support the government in the vaccination rollout,” Galvez said, adding that this is necessary as the nation moves forward to the “new normal”.
“Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod are very eager to participate,” said added.
The Philippine Pediatric Society also supports the country’s vaccination efforts, he added.
“I urge the parents to register their children so that we could give them protection against COVID-19,” Galvez said.
Meanwhile, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava likewise vouched for the vaccine, saying it is “very safe and effective” and almost six million kids in the United States have been inoculated.
The vaccine, she said, is essential so that kids could socialize, play, and experience face-to-face learning again./PN
