The provincial government of Zambales started on Tuesday the “Resbakuna Kids” vaccination program against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) of children five to 11 years old.

Governor Hermogenes Ebdane, together with Zambales Provincial Health Office (PHO) head Dr. Noel Bueno and some officials of the Department of Health (DOH), led the launch held at the Balin Sambal Building in the capital town of Iba.

Some 500 children were inoculated on the first day of the vaccination rollout with a party-like atmosphere. The venue was decorated with colorful balloons and a magic show was held to entertain the children.

Bueno said this is one way of encouraging kids to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in preparation for the possible start of face-to-face classes in the province.

He urged other parents to let their children get the jabs, saying the vaccine provides protection from a severe case of the disease.

Bueno also reminded the residents to continuously follow the minimum health standards despite the declining cases of Covid-19 in the province.

“Tayo po ay sumunod sa minimum health standards. Ugaliing maghugas ng kamay at magsuot ng face mask. Panatilihin ang social distancing at umiwas sa matataong lugar (Let us comply with the minimum health standards. Make it a habit to wash your hands and wear face mask. Let us maintain social distancing and avoid crowded places),” he said in a social media post.

As of February 14, a total of 354,069 residents in Zambales have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 while 28, 652 are still waiting for their second dose.

On the other hand, 34,376 have received their booster shots.

Zambales, together with the six other provinces in Central Luzon, is now under Alert Level 2 from February 16-28.

To date, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the province is 11,446, with 126 active infections. (PNA)