By Pearl Gumapos
National Task Force Against COVID-19 adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa on Tuesday (Jan. 25) said that the booster doses for minors aged 12 to 17 might start early March.
Herbosa said the primary series vaccination of teenagers began last November, and noted that boosters are administered three months after the second dose.
“Ang second dose nila malamang naibigay noong December…The earliest [batch], mga nauna siguro early december [nag-second dose], so baka early March natin mauumpisahan ‘yung tinatawag na booster doses for the teenagers,” he said in the Laging Handa briefing.
Herbosa also said that only Sinovac has a vaccine for three-year-olds .
“Parang nag-apply yata ang kompanya ng Sinovac para doon sa same approval na nakuha nila from China,” he said.
Meanwhile, the vaccination of five to 11-year-olds will start on Feb. 1 in the National Capital Region.
He also said 780,000 of pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines of the total 15 million doses for the younger age group will be delivered this Jan. 31.
“Ibang dose ito, mas mababa, at two doses din ang ibibigay sa mga bata,” Herbosa said.
Vaccine czar Sec. Galvez: Makaka-assure tayo, Mr. President, sa ating mga magulang, na very safe ang ating gagamitin na bakuna dahil ito ay mas mababa ang formulation na angkop para sa mga bata.
— PTVph (@PTVph) January 24, 2022
He added that the government aims to vaccinate seven million minors in the specified age group of five to 11-year-olds.
“Sa buong bansa kasi, nagtatala kami ng about seven million, [ang] estimate namin. Ang target [ay] around the middle of February makakapag-nationwide na tayo with the delivery ng mga doses na dadating pa,” he said. -ag
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