VAX FOR MINORS A boy accompanied by an adult gets a vaccine against COVID-19 at Cainta Elementary School Auditorium in Cainta, Rizal province. —INQUIRER PHOTO
BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan – With the national government’s announcement for the schools to return to in-person classes in November, health authorities in Region I (Ilocos) are rushing to vaccinate as many children as they can against COVID-19.
During the launching of “Sa Booster Pinaslakas” on Tuesday (July 26) in this town, the Department of Health (DOH) announced that it targets to inoculate 731,334 kids aged 5 to 11 years old, and 604,866 kids aged 12 to 17.
The DOH did not give the total population of the children belonging to the age groups in the region, or the number of children already given the shots.
But in Pangasinan, Provincial Health Officer Anna de Guzman said only 15 percent of the kids aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated.
“Matamlay (slow),” de Guzman said on the acceptance of parents to have their kids vaccinated.
She encouraged the parents to allow their children to be vaccinated so that they will have protection during the in-person classes.
“Vaccination is not mandatory, but we are recommending that the children get vaccinated so that they will have protection against the virus,” de Guzman said.
The PHO also suggested that inoculated and unvaccinated children be separated from each other through a seating arrangement during classes.
“This is not a form of discrimination, but we are recommending this system for easier contact tracing in case some children manifest symptoms of COVID-19,” she said.
She added that children are advised to take their lunch inside the classrooms so that they could be supervised properly.
“There must be physical distancing when they eat as they will remove their face masks,” de Guzman said.