MANILA, Philippines — The government’s vaccination program for children and teens should commence soonest as the Delta variant quickly spreads through communities, the chair of the Senate basic education committee said on Sunday.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian cited the urgency of vaccinating people below 18 years old as more and more cases of the highly transmissible strain of the virus were being recorded throughout the country.
“By the time we get enough supply we can already vaccinate teenagers. And this is a very crucial stage in going back to [in-person] classes,” he said in a statement.
Vaccinating learners “will provide an added layer of protection” since schools are surrounded by economic activity, such as public utility vehicles and small retail establishments, he added.