The Zamboanga City Health Office. (PNA file photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The City Health Office (CHO) is urging the Department of Health (DOH) central office in Manila to provide the city more vaccines for children in the 5 to 11 age category.
City health officer Dulce Amor Miravite noted Thursday that the inoculation rate for the particular pediatric group remains low due to the limited supply of vaccines from DOH-Manila.
“We are lobbying for us to get more supply of vaccine so that we will be able to vaccinate more children,” Miravite said in a statement.
The CHO earlier targeted to vaccinate 150,000 to 200,000 children aged 5 to 11 against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Data showed that the CHO has so far administered a total of 26,247 doses to the age group level with no comorbidity. Of the total, 17,903 were given for first doses and the remaining 8,344 for second doses.
CHO said the vaccinees consisted of 5 to 11-years-old with comorbidities with a total of 420 doses administered – 291 for the first dose and 129 for the second dose.
Vaccination of children in the youngest pediatric level in the city started on February 9 with the use of reformulated Pfizer vaccines.
Meanwhile, Miravite said most of the vaccination sites require pre-registration due to the meager supply of vaccines.
“If it’s your turn or if you pre-registered, please get vaccinated on your scheduled time,” she said. (PNA)
