THE GOVERNMENT will start vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 against Covid19 on February 4, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

In his report to President Rodrigo Duterte late Monday, Galvez said that the inoculation will be done in two phases.

“Mr. President, prepared na po tayo sa vaccination ng 5 to 11 years old, last January ay nagkaroon po tayo ng live orientation ng pagbabakuna ang US Embassy ng mga bata sa ganitong edad,” he said.

“Ngayon mas prepared po tayo, at mas experienced.  Kaya ang plano po ng National Vaccination Operation Center under Sec. Vince Dizon and Usec. Myrna Cabotaje ay magkaroon ng dalawang sites kada city dito sa NCR, immediately,” he said.

“So, we will open both hospital and non-hospital vaccination sites and we will expand the sites further to other regions after one week,” he added.

Each vaccine dose for kids below 11 years old will be 10 micrograms per dose of 0.2 milliliters. Those aged 12 to 17 are given 30 micrograms per 0.3 milliliters.

“Makaka-assure po tayo, Mr. President, sa ating mga magulang na very safe ang ating gagamitin na bakuna dahil ito po ay mas mababa ang formulation na angkop para sa mga bata,” Galvez said.

The Philippine Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Pfizer’s Covid19 vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11. It will arrive on January 31.

Meanwhile, the government will start giving booster shots to minors aged 12 to 17 in March, National Task Force Adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa said.

“Ang ating mga teenagers, 12 to 17, nag-umpisa kasi tayo niyan noong November. So, ang second dose nila, malamang naibigay nung December. So, ang ating booster dose, three months after the second dose,” Herbosa said.