Hundreds flock to a vaccination hub at People’s Park in Davao City on Wednesday (5 January 2022) for booster shots as health officials are alarmed with the increase in COVID-19 cases just after the holidays and with the threat posed by the Omicron variant. Mindanews Photo
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 February) – The city government will open three additional special vaccination sites for children aged 5 to 11 on Monday to fast-track its inoculation rollout against COVID-19, an official said.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for COVID-19 Task Force of Davao City, said new additional sites are expected to cater to patients belonging to this specific age group with an estimated total population of 269,121.
These new sites are Almendras Gym along Quezon Boulevard, San Roque Central Elementary School in Barrio Obrero in Poblacion District, and Vicente Hizon Sr. Elementary School in Barangay Vicente Hizon Sr.
The vaccination for 5 to 11-year-olds started last Feb. 14 at Southern Philippines Medical Center and Davao Medical School Foundation.
The city has 25 operational vaccination sites, including those intended for other age groups.
Schlosser said the task force reported 1,688 children of this age group vaccinated with the first dose as of February 17.
According to the Department of Health, the 0.2 milliliter formulation of Comirnaty of Pfizer has been granted emergency use authorization for five to 11-year-olds and a higher formulation of 0.3 mL for the other age groups.
Schlosser announced that Davao Doctors Hospital has just started a vaccination rollout for 5 to 11-year-olds on Friday.
She encouraged the parents to get their children vaccinated to give them another layer of protection from COVID-19.
Parents who want to get their children vaccinated must register with Safe Davao QR and, once approved, bring a birth certificate, valid identification cards of parents or guardians, and a DQR of the child at the vaccination site, she said.
As of Feb. 7, the city reported 1,289,103 persons vaccinated with the first dose, 1,137 fully vaccinated, and 181,757 given booster shots.
As of 17 too, DOH-Davao reported 41 new cases in the city, bringing the total cases to 71,698 with 68,881 recoveries, 923 active, and 1,894 deaths. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
