Duterte: More than 3 million minors now vaccinated vs. COVID-19

More than three million children aged 12 to 17 years old have now been vaccinated against COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday night.

“I am very pleased to know that we have already vaccinated more than three million minors aged 12 to 17 as of today. Marami yan [that’s a lot], three million,” Duterte said during his pre-recorded Talk to the People.

Data from the Department of Health shows that there are 12.7 million children who belong to the 12 to 17 age group. This includes 1.2 million children with underlying health conditions.

The government is seeking to inoculate 80% of the age group, or 10 million children, by December this year.

The national government began to roll out COVID-19 vaccines to the adolescent population in October 2021. 

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved COVID-19 vaccine brands Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for minors. FDA also said it is expecting to allow COVID-19 vaccination of minors aged below 12 years old by end of the year. 

Further, Duterte said the Philippines has received a total of 134.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from various manufacturers.

He likewise reported that 76.5 million vaccine doses have been administered.

“Of this number, 41.9 million have [been given as] the first dose or more than 33.5 million are given second dose and single-dose shots,” said Duterte. — BM, GMA News

Duterte: More than 3 million minors now vaccinated vs. COVID-19
Source: Filipino Viral News PH