Press Release
September 5, 2021

Gatchalian: Prepare LGUs for COVID-19 vaccine rollout to minors

Following the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of drugmaker Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for inoculating minors aged 12-17, Senator Win Gatchalian pressed the urgency of preparing local government units (LGUs) for the vaccination of the age group.

Citing both the safety of the younger population and the long-term impact of school closures, Gatchalian has lobbied for the vaccination of minors aged 12-17. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture said that vaccinating school age children would lay down a clearer path on the gradual resumption of face-to-face classes.

A Pulse Asia Survey commissioned by Gatchalian---which was conducted from June 7-16 and had 1,200 respondents---revealed that nationwide, agreement to allow face-to-face classes is at 44%, 33% were unsure, and 23% disagree. Among those who disagree with face-to-face classes, 90% said that it is still too dangerous to go out because of the pandemic, while 57% cited the lack of vaccines for children.

"At this point, I can see that one of the solutions to open our schools safely is to already inoculate our teenagers," said Gatchalian.

With the government eyeing to vaccinate minors by September or October this year, preparations should already start at the level of LGUs, the lawmaker said. He also cited the crucial involvement of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Education (DepEd).

"My call is to allow LGUs and private schools to import their own vaccines and to inoculate their own teachers, their own school officials, as well as their own students and their own teenage population. This way, it will hasten the vaccine rollout in our schools and the LGUs," Gatchalian said.

The FDA previously approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the inoculation of minors aged 12-15. Drugmaker Sinovac also applied for the authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine for children and minors aged 3-17.

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Gatchalian: LGU maghanda na para sa pagbabakuna ng mga kabataan

Ihanda na ang mga local government units (LGUs) para sa pagpapabakuna ng mga menor de edad. Ito ang panawagan ni Senador Win Gatchalian matapos aprubahan ng Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ang paggamit ng Moderna COVID-19 vaccine sa mga batang may edad labing dalawa (12) hanggang labing-pito (17).

Upang proteksyonan ang mga kabataan at dahil na rin sa pinsalang dulot ng pagsasara ng mga paaralan, ipinanawagan ni Gatchalian ang pagpapabakuna para sa mga menor de edad na labing dalawa (12) hanggang labing-pitong (17) gulang. Ayon sa mambabatas titiyakin ng pagpapabakuna ng mga kabataan ang ligtas na pagbubukas ng mga paaralan at muling pagkakaroon ng face-to-face classes.

Sa isang Pulse Asia Survey na kinomisyon ni Gatchalian, apatnapu't apat (44%) na porsyento ang sumasang-ayon sa muling pagkakaroon ng face-to-face classes, tatlumpu't tatlong (33%) porsyento ang hindi tiyak, at dalawampu't tatlong (23%) porsyento naman ang hindi sumasang-ayon. Sa mga hindi sumasang-ayon, siyamnapung (90%) porsyento ang nagsasabing hindi pa ligtas pumunta sa mga paaralan dahil sa pandemya. Halos animnapung (57%) porsyento naman ang nagsasabing wala pa kasing bakuna ang maaaring ibigay sa mga kabataan. Ginanap ang survey noong Hunyo 7-16 na may higit isang libong (1,200) kalahok.

"Ang nakikita kong isa sa mga solusyon na maaari nating gawin upang mabuksan ang ating mga paaralan ay bakunahan na ang ating mga kabataan," pahayag ni Gatchalian.

Habang balak naman ng pamahalaan na simulan ang pagpapabakuna ng mga kabataan sa Seytembre o Oktubre ngayong taon, dapat nang simulan ang paghahanda ng mga lokal na pamahalaan, ayon sa mambabatas. Mahalaga din anya ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, sa Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), sa Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), at Department of Education (DepEd).

"Ang panawagan ko rin ay payagan na ang mga LGUs at private schools na bumili ng kanilang mga bakuna para sa kanilang mga guro, school officials, mga estudyante, at mga kabataan. Sa ganitong paraan, mapapabilis natin ang vaccine rollout sa mga paaralan at mga LGUs," dagdag na pahayag ni Gatchalian.

Una nang inaprubahan ng FDA ang paggamit sa Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine para sa mga menor de edad mula labindalawa (12) hanggang labing-lima (15). Humihingi na rin ng pahintulot ang drugmaker na Sinovac na magamit ang COVID-19 vaccine nito para sa mga bata na may edad na tatlo (3) hanggang labing-pito (17).

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