Article by:
Perla Lena
ILOILO CITY – Local government units (LGUs) can already start with the pre-registration of minors eligible for the vaccination against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“LGUs can already pre-register for planning purposes and preparation of logistics,” said Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, Medical Officer III of the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD), in a text message on Wednesday.
She added the vaccination for minors is being implemented in phases with the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) identifying areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) where the inoculation for minors is being carried out.
“So far we have no advisory yet if when can we start (vaccination) in Region 6 (Western Visayas),” she said.
As of Wednesday, Iloilo City already pre-registered 5,738 aged 12 to 17 who are interested to get vaccinated.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas on Oct. 18, 2021 again sent a letter to concerned government officials reiterating his request for the metro area to be included in the ongoing pilot implementation of the inoculation among minors.
His letter was addressed to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, National Task Force chief Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vivencio Dizon.
In preparation for the rollout of the vaccination to minors, the mayor said securing consent forms and pre-registration of willing adolescents is already ongoing.
The identification of vaccination sites nearer to hospitals and competent vaccination teams also continues.
He added that the city government has met with school heads to ask for their assistance in promoting the vaccination campaign.
Apart from inclusion in the pilot inoculation for minors, he also requested that the local government be allowed to administer booster shots to medical front-liners and their family members.
As of Oct. 16, the City Health Office (CHO) has reported that 64. 26 percent of the city’s target 525,000 populations have already received their first dose and 56.06 percent are fully vaccinated.
“With this vaccination accomplishment, we become the forerunner in Region 6. As such, it is safe to say that we are capable of rolling out booster shots for our front-liners and highly capable to handle the inoculation of minors,” Treñas said. (PNA)
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