Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez (PCOO PHOTO)
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday said there were no major adverse side effects recorded among the first batch of children aged five to 11 inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine doses.
The Philippines launched its Covid-19 vaccination program for kids aged five to 11 on Monday.
Galvez said 13,182 children were vaccinated during the launch.
“Naging maayos at matagumpay ang ating initial rollout sa (initial) anim na vaccination sites dito sa Manila at meron po tayong more or less 33 vaccination sites nationwide,” Galvez said during the rollout of the vaccination program at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday.
“Masaya po kami dahil mataas ang bilang ng batang nagparehistro upang mabakunahan. Senyales po ito ng buong pusong suporta ng mga magulang sa ating vaccination program at higit sa lahat, ang kanilang pagnanais na maprotektahan ang kanilang mga anak mula sa seryosong kumplikasyon na maidudulot ng Covid,” he added.
Reformulated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are being used to inoculate the five to 11 year-olds.
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said only one “non-serious” adverse event was recorded so far.
“There is one non-serious adverse event on an 11-year-old male from Parañaque, namantal iyong braso at kamay after the vaccination (He had rashes on arms and hands),” Cabotaje said in a “Laging Handa” briefing.
The government has been eyeing to expand vaccination to younger age groups to help the country achieve herd immunity. John Ezekiel J. Hirro