At VSMMC today: Cebu starts vaxxing kids

CEBU, Philippines —  Around a hundred children with comorbidities ages 12-17 will be the first to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines today at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

The children have been identified by hospitals, which have the data regarding their medical conditions, according to Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center and chief pathologist of Department of Health-7.

The development comes after the DOH has given the go signal to expanding the pediatric vaccination nationwide following its successful pilot in Metro Manila.

VSMMC is one of the over 40 hospitals nationwide that will be launching the pediatric vaccination today in areas outside the capital region.

“Yes, Sotto (VSMMC) is identified as one of the hospitals that will do the ceremonial vaccination for ages 12-17 years old with comorbidities,” Loreche told The FREEMAN yesterday.

The kick-off for the pediatric population will be on November 3 but the full implementation in different LGUs will start November 5.

Loreche said the children to be inoculated at VSMMC today have been identified by hospitals since they have data on children with comorbidities.

Based on the National Vaccination Operations Center’s target, there is a projected target population of 929,826 in Central Visayas under the 12-17 age bracket. This is the fourth-largest population of minors among the regions in the country.

The NVOC has already given the green light to the full implementation after ensuring there would be enough supply of vaccines in the country.

The brands to be administered will be Pfizer and Moderna, the only two so far with an Emergency Use Authorization(EUA) issued by the Food and Drugs Administration.

Cebu City preparations

As for the Cebu City government, it is set launch its vaccination rollout for minors aged 12-17 today, also near VSMMC.

“We will first do our launching and the City Health Department under Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, they will put all these in place already. Anyway, this is just a matter of having to prepare separately, but still, we’ll look at it that it can be complementing, collaborating with our main vaccination management,” said Acting Mayor Michael Rama.

City Health officer-in-charge Jeffrey Ibones clarified that the launch will not be done in the hospital, but only near its premises.

“Dili gyud siya sa Sotto. Mao man na’y gikuyawan sa mga mama ba nga adto gyud sa Sotto. Naay separate na building na siya nga dili sa hospital gyud, pero Sotto ang tag-iya, adto ta didto mag-launching,” explained Ibones.

Rama has been saying that he does not like the idea of having the vaccination of minors inside the hospitals considering that there are some individuals who are receiving their treatment for COVID-19 there.

He said it will be done only in areas near the hospital, and that ambulance will also be provided.

“Meetingon na after launching ang mga kinahanglan kung ma-massive na gali, all angles should be attended to kay mao man nay mga worries, mga bata,” said Rama.

Ibones said they are already looking into three vaccination sites near the hospitals which could be utilized for the vaccination for minors but will divulge it when things are already finalized.

For today’s vaccination, he said 10 children with comorbidities will participate for the ceremonial vaccination and approximately 100 children are targeted to be inoculated with Pfizer vaccine.

As of yesterday, around 7,600 minors without comorbidities and 900 minors with comorbidities aged 12-17 registered online through pabakunata.com.

Ibones said it is vital that the parents/guardians are already vaccinated so that the children will also be encouraged to have themselves vaccinated.

“Akong nakita gyud karon, kung ang mama gani dili magpabakuna, most likely, ang ilang mga anak, di gyud nila and pabakunahan. Usa na sa mga challenges nato nga nakita,” said Ibones.

In addition, he said that the children will really need the supervision of their parents or guardian if they will undergo vaccination.

“Kinahanglan gyud nato ma-convince ang mga ginikanan. Mao nay atong gihimo gyud karon. Every time, naa tay in charge pud sa pag-educate sa atoang mga ginikanan unya importante lang gyud nga makahibawo kung unsa kaimportante ang bakuna,” said Ibones.

No longer required

Meanwhile, DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, in yesterday’s virtual press briefer, said they have also decided to forgo with the requirement to have at least 50% of the regional vaccination coverage of fully vaccinated senior citizens before an LGU can start inoculating its pediatric population.

This following the request of many quarters to save on time, effort and resources on the part of the LGUs, the vaccination team, and the parents of the children.

NVOC has also allowed vaccination outside hospitals, as long as the site is in close proximity to hospitals, and there are standby ambulance, enough medical personnel, and, if possible, a pediatrician. —  Mary Ruth R. Malinao JMD (FREEMAN)