The Quezon City government is consolidating its master list of the 5 to 11 age group in preparation for the vaccination tentatively set in February.
The city government is working closely with village and elementary school officials, QC Task Force Vax to Normal coordinator, Dr. Maria Lourdes Eleria said.
“We are now synchronizing the list of children enrolled in our schools and those included in the census of our barangays so we can identify the number of children eligible for this round of pediatric vaccinations,” Eleria said in a statement on Tuesday.
Netizens are hopeful that pediatric vaccination will be rolled out extensively soon.
“Sana nga simulan na. Marami na ang gustong pabakunahan na ang kanilang mga anak na 5-11 yrs old para may proteksyon na din ang mga katawan lalo na kapag nagbalik na ang face-to-face (I hope this starts soon. Many parents have been wanting to bring their children 5-11 for vaccination to protect them especially when face-to face classes resume),” netizen Erah Jane Juaman posted on Facebook.
Still, another netizen was concerned on whether children in the said age group can endure the Covid-19 vaccine, including possible side effects.
“Sure po ba kayo kakayanin ng bata ang vaccines? ‘Wag po padalos dalos baka magaya ‘yan sa Dengvaxia ni PNoy. Suriin po ninyo mabuti. Kawawa ang mga bata (Are you sure that these children can endure the vaccines? Do not rush as this can end up like the Dengvaxia of the PNoy administration. Please check carefully),” Mervic Cabigon Paden posted.
The dengue vaccine Dengvaxia administered to schoolchildren during the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III reportedly caused the death of some recipients.
It was eventually permanently banned by the Department of Health after manufacturer Sanofi admitted that it can cause more severe symptoms on vaccinees who have not had dengue.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recommended the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old against Covid-19 in November last year.
The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration followed suit in December, granting emergency use authorization of lower-dosed Pfizer jabs for 5 to 11-year-olds as “our experts have found that the data submitted is sufficient for the approval,” former agency Director General Eric Domingo said.
Studies also showed that Covid-19 cases in children can result in hospitalizations, deaths, inflammatory syndromes, and long-term complications that can linger for months.
“Vaccination, along with other preventative measures, can protect children from Covid-19 using the safe and effective vaccines already recommended for use in adolescents and adults in the United States. Similar to what was seen in adult vaccine trials, vaccination was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 among children aged 5-11 years,” the CDC earlier said.
It added that in clinical trials, the vaccine side effects in the younger age group were mild, self-limiting, and similar to those seen in adults and the most common side effect was a sore arm.
“Finally, our younger children will be given the opportunity to receive the protection they so badly need in order to experience some kind of normalcy in their lives after having been cooped up for so long inside their houses to prevent the risk of infection,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a previous interview. (PNA)
