Vaccination for 5 to 11 y/o tentatively set on Valentine’s week

Vaccination for the city’s 5 to 11 age group may be launched two or three days after Feb. 14, Valentine’s day. This is due to postponement from the Feb. 4 (Friday) National Capital Region (NCR) target roll-out date to Monday (Feb. 7), as announced by Presidential Adviser for Covid Response Vince Dizon, citing vaccine shipment delay.

City Health Services Office (CHSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo during the Management Committee Meeting last week said that Baguio’s vaccination roll-out for the 5 to 11 y/o group, starts 10 days after NCR’s activity.  Observation shall be done on processes done in NCR pilot areas, Dr. Galpo said.

Though guidelines for the pediatric jabs are still pending, the main procedure shall be followed; registration, screening, informed consent processing, vaccination, and post-vaccination monitoring.

Documents needed are: identification for both minor and parent/guardian, signed consent and assent which is available on site; and filiation or their relationship to each other through birth certificates, school or church, or other authenticated records.    

As to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Baguio’s 5 to 11 age group population is pegged at 46,955; and as to data from the Management Information and Technical Division (MITD), nearly 9,000 have registered. Calls are done for more pre-teens to register at bakuna.baguio.gov.ph, for their QR code to be presented during vaccination.

According to Dr. Galpo, health centers, vaccination sites and hospitals may be utilized as venues. She also gave assurance that the Pfizer vaccines are specially formulated for the 5 to 11 age group and color-coded to differentiate it from adult doses.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong also gave assurance that health authorities, health care workers, the Baguio City Police, Peace and Order Services Division and all other offices work for the smooth scheduled pediatric vaccine roll-out. – Julie G. Fianza