Vaccination for kids 5-11 y/o pilots on February 4

COVID-19 vaccinations for kids 5-11 years old will finally pilot in the country next month, according to vaccine czar and Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. The announcement was made during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People on Monday evening.

As per the timeline presented by the vaccine czar, memorandum guidelines will be released this week, and the first supply of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive tentatively on February 2, in time for its initial rollout on February 4, 2022.

Galvez assures parents that vaccination is safe for kids and will be administered in a lesser dose and lower formulation than those given to vaccinees aged 12 and above. Kids 5-11 years old will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine formulation denoted in an orange cap as opposed to the Pfizer vaccine for 12 years old and above which is supplied in a purple cap.

In October 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use in children aged 5-11 in the United States.

Phase 1 of the vaccination for kids will rollout in the National Capital Region, aiming to open two sites per city in the region.

On January 1, 2022, the City Government of Baguio has opened the registration for min0rs aged 5 to 11 in preparation for the vaccination rollout program for the said age group. Parents can register at bakuna.baguio.gov.ph. According to the Public Information Office of Baguio, the vaccination date for the said age group will be announced at a later date.