Florida

Jabs for 5-11 year old kids urged

December 7, 2021 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 254 views

SAN Jose Del Monte City Rep. Florida “Rida” P. Robes has appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to prioritize vaccination of children 5 to 11 years old before they are allowed to go on face-to-face classes.

In her privilege speech Monday, Robes if face-to-face classes in the college level are limited to fully vaccinated students, the same standard of protection should be given to children in kinder and elementary schools.

“Kung ang mga nasa kolehiyo ay pinapagayan lamang nating pumasok ang mga mayroon nang full vaccination status, mas lalo sana nating proteksyonan ang mga mas batang estudyante na hindi pa bakunado,” Robes said.

“Ako po ay isang ina at alam ko ang damdamin sa ating mga anak kapag sila ay pumapasok sa eskwela lalo na ngayong panahon na ito na may naka-ambang virus na maaring nilang makuha sa kanilang pagpasok. Ang mga may pilot run ng face-to-face classes ay mga bata na nasa 5 to 11 age group na hindi pa nabakunahan dahil wala pang bakuna na pinapayagan sa kanilang edad,” Robes said.

She added that as of the moment, no vaccine manufacturer has submitted an Emergency Use Application for children 5 years to 11 years of age.

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez has appealed to his constituents and other residents of Cagayan de Oro City to avail themselves of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. Rodriguez, who represents the city’s second district in Congress, made the plea after the city reported no case of coronavirus infection over the weekend.

“Let us sustain this achievement of national and city health officials by getting booster shots, which will give us added protection against the virus, especially its newly discovered Omicron variant,” Rodriguez said.

At the same time, Rodriguez appealed to city residents who have not been vaccinated to take the vaccine.

Those getting boosters and those taking their first dose could go to the city’s vaccination centers or participate in the planned next round of three-day national Bakunahan on Dec. 15-17, he said.

“Let us continue protecting ourselves from the virus by getting vaccinated and observing health protocols. Let us continue bringing down the number of infections and reporting zero cases,” he said.

Rodriguez commended national and city health officials for containing the spread of the virus in his city.

He said last weekend’s no-case report was a marked improvement from the surge in infections from June to September, when city officials and hospitals scrambled to cope with a rising number of COVID-19 patients.

Rodriguez also thanked Health Secretary Francisco Duque lll and national vaccination czar Sec. Carlito Galvez for promptly responding to his appeals for help.

In response to his pleas, the two officials swiftly sent to Cagayan de Oro additional vaccines and ventilators, among other forms of assistance.

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