Bacolod City – Minors aged 12 to 17, even without comorbidities, may now avail of pediatric vaccination in all the 31 local government units of Negros Occidental, aside from three designated hospital venues and Negros Residences in Bacolod City, announced yesterday by Provincial Inter Agency Task Force Action Officer Rayfrando Diaz.
Diaz said that Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be used in the inoculation of minors.
He, however, advised that those minors with comorbidities to have their vaccination either at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, Cadiz District Hospital and Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City.
With the opening of this age group for vaccination, Diaz said this big population of minors will increase the number of vaccinated persons in Negros Occidental, although they have not been included in the original target for inoculation.
This is a big help in creating a herd immunity, he added, stressing also that the provincial government has enough vaccines on its storage facilities, as of this time.
Diaz also said that the start in vaccination of minors may pave the way for students to experience face to face classes soon, noting also difficulty of students in attending online classes, where parents are answering examinations.
The provincial government is targeting to vaccinate 1.8 million Negrenses, in order to achieve a herd immunity against COVID-19. As of last week, more than 400,000 Negrenses, excluding those in Bacolod City, have already been vaccinated.
Diaz advised parents and guardians of minors to have their names listed in their respective City or Municipal Health Offices, or Provincial Health Office, stressing that they will not accept walk-in applicants to ensure an orderly manner of vaccination, and not to go beyond the capacity of venues and vaccinators.
He also announced that a medical certificate is no longer a requirement for pediatric vaccination, except for the parent’s consent and accompaniment of minors by their guardians, during their inoculation, which is a must.
(Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)