The Philippine Educators Alliance for Community Empowerment (PEACE) party-list has urged the government to include children from areas participating in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes in the trial vaccination of minors.
The first run for the vaccination of children is set to start on October 15 in selected hospitals in Metro Manila. Minors aged 12-17 with comorbidites will be included in the A3 priority group.
An initial 59 public schools that have passed the Department of Health’s assessment will conduct the pilot face-to-face classes.
The Food and Drug Administration had earlier granted approval for the administration of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to minors.
“With the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes also starting in November, PEACE Party-list hopes that the government strongly considers also vaccinating the children who will be participating in these classes,” PEACE president and first nominee, Marie Paz T. Abante, said.
An initial 59 public schools that have passed the Department of Health’s assessment will conduct the pilot face-to-face classes. According to the Department of Education, the DOH will provide a “rolling assessment” every Monday until the target of 120 participating schools is reached.
“Hindi naman malaking bilang ito, kaya kasabay ng panawagan natin na bakunahan ang mga gurong lalahok, isama na rin sana ang mga bata,” Abante said.
The long-time educator added that the vaccination of participating children would go a long way towards reassuring parents that their kids will be safe.
The first run for the vaccination of children is set to start on October 15 in selected hospitals in Metro Manila.
“We should be providing as much protection as possible, covering all bases that we can. By vaccinating the children who are joining the pilot face-to-face classes, the government is also shielded from possible recriminations that it has not done what it could to ensure there are no kinks to the trial run,” said Abante.
Meanwhile, PEACE’s chairman for Committee on Community Programs, Dr. Rodolfo Juan, said that government should accept the private sector’s offer to help in the vaccination of children, which would help the country “move forward faster in the race to achieve herd immunity.”
“We urge the government to accept the private sector’s offer to help. Nagmamadali tayong maabot ang target nating herd immunity sa pagtatapos ng taon, kaya dapat lahat ng nais tumulong ay bigyan ng pagkakataong tumulong,” Juan said.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Sec. Joey Concepcion on Tuesday said that the private sector is considering vaccinating the children of their employees.
