By Alec Go
National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said they are proposing to begin the vaccination for 12- to 17-year -old minors by mid-October.
Galvez mentioned the proposal during President Rodrigo Duterte’s public address on Sept. 22, saying there is a sufficient vaccine supply of 23.75 million doses with an additional 20 million doses arriving between now and the first week of October.
“Kayang- kaya na po nating i-vaccinate ‘yung 12 million na mga bata na 12 to 17[years-old]. Pero ang recommendation po natin, mauna muna ‘yung mga may comorbidities at saka ‘yung mga anak ng mga healthcare workers,” he said.
“Marami pong mga bata na talagang magsu-suffer din eh. Though ang sabi po ay unahin muna natin ‘yung mga matatanda. Pero ang ano po natin talaga, ‘yung iba talagang ayaw pang magpabakuna,” he added.
The official said the 23.75 million in-stock doses “can sustain the vaccination for the whole month of October” at the current daily vaccination rate of 400,000 to 500,000. However, he said the numbers should increase to 800,000 per day.
“Parang nagmi-meet na ‘yung demand at saka ‘yung supply. Meaning, kailangan na po nating mag-open ng other sectors,” he said. “By November po or even earlier, puwede na po nating i-open ang general public.”
The vaccination program will also focus on school personnel amid the opening of limited face-to-face classes which was approved earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Galvez said there are recommendations to use the “family approach” in the vaccination rollout to address the current hesitancy in far-flung areas and in socioeconomic classes D and E through the “bandwagon effect.”
“Pagka pami-pamilya na po ang nagpapabakuna, ang nangyayari po eh iyong iba pong mga pamilya na hindi pa nagpapabakuna ay magpapabakuna na rin po,” he said. – jlo
