May nakatabi nang budget para sa COVID-19 vaccination ng mga batang nasa edad lima hanggang 11, ayon sa Department of Finance (DOF).
Sinabi ng DOF na ang unang batch ng COVID-19 vaccine na inaprubahan para sa naturang age group ay inaasahang lalapag ngayong araw.
Dagdag pa ng DOF, pumirma na sila sa kasunduan para sa karagdagang P800 milyon para sa COVID-19 boosters at vaccine dose ng pediatric population kasama na ang 12-anyos.
Paliwanag ni Finance Undersecretary Mark Dennis Joven, ang karagdagang loan ay ilalaan para sa pediatric vaccines.
Gagamit din aniya ng formulated na United States (US)-based Pfizer Inc.
“For children basically, we need to use new formulations and only one brand provides this new formulation, it’s Pfizer. So from the previous loan, we’ve taken around 15 million doses for this Pfizer new formulation. And from the new loan, we’re taking around 15 million doses, again, new formulation, which is Pfizer. So that gives us 30 million doses of Pfizer new formulation for those below 12 years old,” paliwanag pa ni Joven.
Beth Camia