DOH: 132,770 vaccinated vs. COVID-19 during Dec. 5-7 Bakunahang Bayan

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said around 132,770 individuals were vaccinated with first booster during the three-day nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive from December 5 to 7.

At the press briefing, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said an additional 33,239 aged five to 11 years old were vaccinated during the three-day period.

“For our 5 to 11 years old, we were able to vaccinate an additional 33,239. So ngayon po ang percentage ng 5 to 11 years old na fully vaccinated with our COVID-19 vaccines would be already almost 50%, it’s 49.3%,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire and local government officials led the launch of the Bakunahang Bayan from December 5 to 7 in Davao City.

She earlier emphasized the importance of vaccination especially among the younger population as schools have reopened for face-to-face classes.

Bivalent vaccines

Vergeire, meanwhile, said the country is prepared to vaccinate children with bivalent vaccines once there is scientific evidence to support it.

This was after the US health regulator authorized COVID-19 shots from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech that target both the original coronavirus and Omicron sub-variants for use in children as young as 6 months of age.

The amended authorization on Thursday from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows use of Moderna's bivalent shot as a booster in children 6 months through 5 years of age, two months after their initial vaccination.

"Well as long as there's evidence already that can support the use of these COVID-19 vaccines to the younger age group like less than 5-years-old, handa naman tayo [we are ready],” she said.

The DOH earlier said the second-generation COVID-19 vaccines or bivalent vaccines that protect against the Omicron variant would be available in the country by the end of December.

Vergeire said there is a possibility of additional vaccines in the future, adding that it can be “as regular as possible.”  —KBK, GMA Integrated News