Philippines gets another 780K Pfizer-BioNTech doses for ages 5–11

The Philippines on Thursday received an additional 780,000 government-procured Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doses formulated for children aged 5 to 11.

The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 said the latest batch of vaccine doses landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 past 9 p.m.

At NAIA, NTF Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. thanked the United States government for the delivery of the reformulated doses of Pfizer vaccine for minors.

Galvez said the fresh batch of vaccine doses will be distributed to different regions.

The pilot rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination of children in this age group started in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday.

The country earlier received 780,000 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 on February 4.

Malacañang has said that initially the vaccination would be rolled out at six sites in the NCR.

These are the Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Manila Zoo, SM North Edsa (Skydome), and the Fil Oil Gym in San Juan City.

The Department of Health on Thursday recorded 4,575 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the Philippines' case load to 3,627,575. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News