More than two years after the pandemic hit, the Department of Health (DOH) finally made COVID-19 vaccines available to children ages 5-11 years old last February 2, 2022. The Philippine government approved the inoculation of younger children by implementing the “Resbakuna Kids” campaign led by the DOH and the National Task Force Against COVID-19. Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines were initially the only brand approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for these children.
“I feel more secured because I know that it lessens the likelihood of catching Covid-19. If ever they do catch it, it will most likely not be as severe,” mentions MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) parent Sherri Chong, who has children in Grade 3 and Grade 5. Echoing Chong’s sentiments is another MGCNLCA parent, Debbie Wong, who appreciated the government taking measures to protect young children. “No more hiding at home or keeping them in a bubble while the rest continue the new normal,” Wong says.
With more children getting vaccinated, MGCNLCA now deems it safe to hold face-to-face classes next school year for all elementary and high school students. Other learning modalities include hybrid classes for preschoolers, and a full online setup.
Recently, the FDA also approved Sinovac vaccines to be administered to children. To speed up the process, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries has offered to give free Sinovac vaccinations for children in the mentioned age range as soon as these vaccines become available.
News of the green-lit Sinovac sparked mixed reactions among parents. One MGCNLCA parent remarked that their children have already been vaccinated with another brand, believing it is safe for their children. Meanwhile, another admitted that they had been waiting for the approval of the Chinese vaccine, which ended up working well in their favor.
Nevertheless, even with the availability of various brands, urgency and safety is still the foremost concern. “As parents, foremost is having the kids vaccinated as early as possible,” Wong puts it best.
Over 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have since been distributed, with 67 million people being fully vaccinated. Ever since the start of the pandemic, pharmaceutical companies have developed various vaccines for all ages, but it was only October of last year when COVID-19 vaccines were opened to minors aged 12-17.
Comments