Vaccination for kids below age 5 pushed

Experts yesterday called on the government to seriously consider the expansion of the age limit for COVID-19 vaccination.

Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) executive director Dr.

Lulu Bravo noted that many young children, especially those with comorbidities, are now getting infected with the coronavirus.

“Ages zero to five have a high mortality rate or those who do not survive the disease... They are the ones who often become more serious,” Bravo said when asked in a radio interview whether the government should mandate vaccination among children

below five years old.

Bravo advised parents to trust pediatricians and emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated.

“It is important to vaccinate children as a precaution in case a new variant of COVID-19 emerges. The increase in vaccinations is really a sign that we can really recover,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health is set to start today the vaccination program for children aged five to 11 years in the Ilocos region.

DOH Ilocos regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco said they are targeting to vaccinate 25,000 children in the age bracket.

The regional office has established 16 vaccination sites strategically located in various provinces, where parents and guardians may bring their children belonging to the age group for vaccination from Feb. 14-18.

Ilocos topped the regions with the most number of booster shots, with a total of 21,361 doses (13.32 percent) given during the two-day “Bayanihan, Bakunahan 3” National Vaccination Days conducted simultaneously all over the region from Feb. 10-11.

The region also placed second in terms of overall National Vaccination Days coverage, with 46,291 (22.26 percent) and placed third in terms of primary dose target with 24,930 (53.33 percent) vaccinated.