4 sites ready for COVID-19 vaccination of ages 5–11 –pediatricians

At least four sites are ready for the COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old, the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) said on Thursday.

In an interview on Balitanghali, PIDSP president Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi also said healthcare workers in the designated vaccination sites are ready for the start of the rollout, which had initially been planned for Friday.

“Bukas po kasi apat na sites pa lang po, so tatlong ospital at isa pang off-hospital site so yung mga healthcare workers po dito ay handa na. Bising-busy nga po sila sa paghanda para bukas,” she said. 

(There are only four sites open, three hospitals and another off-hospital site. Our healthcare workers here are ready. They are already busy preparing for tomorrow.)

Since the interview, the government moved the start of the vaccination of the younger children moved to Monday, February 7, citing logistical difficulties.

Asked why only four hospitals were ready out of the six vaccination sites that initially announced, Bunyi said, “Hindi ko po alam yan, pero tatlong ospital po ang sigurado po ako: yung Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, and Philippine Heart Center, at saka Manila Zoo po yata kasama.”

(I don't know that, but I'm sure there are three hospitals, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, and Philippine Heart Center, and then Manila Zoo.)

GMA News Online has sought confirmation from the Department of Health (DOH).

Meanwhile, Bunyi said many parents have registered their children for vaccination. She, however, admitted that there is also some vaccine hesitancy.

“Hindi naman po maiiwasan yung pagkakaroon ng vaccine hesitancy. Baka yung iba po io-observe muna kung magiging maigi ang magiging response ng ibang bata na eventually makapag-encourage sa kanila na mapabakunahan na rin yung mga anak nila,” she said.

(The vaccine hesitancy cannot be avoided. Maybe the other parents will first observe if the response of the other children will be good, which will eventually encourage them to get their children vaccinated as well.)

Bunyi clarified that any vaccines may have minor side effects, including the COVID-19 vaccines.

“Yung mga bakuna naman po, kahit anong bakuna po may mga minor side effects, so kasama na po dyan yung COVID-19 vaccines. Yung mga naitala pong mga side effects so far ay pananakit sa injection side, lagnat, pananamlay, sakit ng ulo, at saka pakiramdam ng parang pagod,” she added.

(The vaccines, on the other hand, have minor side effects, so that includes the COVID-19 vaccines. The side effects recorded so far are pain on the injection side, fever, headache, and feeling tired.)

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said that around 780,000 doses of the Pfizer anti-COVID vaccine minors aged 5 to 11 were scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Thursday. The vaccines' arrival has been postponed.

Vergeire said a total of 38 pilot vaccination sites for the vaccination of the age group will be deployed in Metro Manila on Saturday, five in Region III, and two sites in Calabarzon.

She advised parents to register for vaccination through local government units or vaccination centers to avoid overcrowding. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News