THE Manila city government yesterday kicked off its mass vaccination of minors aged 12 to 17, without any hitches or adverse reactions reported.

Mayor Isko Moreno personally checked on the status of the mass vaccination program led by Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, who administered most of the vaccines herself, and Manila Health Department chief Dr. Arnold ‘Poks’ Pangan, held at the Ospital ng Maynila (OM).

The said mass inoculation was undertaken after the national government gave the green light for the mass inoculation of the said age group.

It was learned from Pangan that the first batch of vaccinees consisted of 90 minors who have comorbidities and who were listed down by the chairmen of their respective barangays.

Moreno said the first batch of minors who got jabbed all came from the fifth district of Manila, where OM is located, as he reiterated his earlier call for the adult members of the family to pre-register their minor children or wards so they can avail of the free vaccination too.

The mayor said the vaccination of minors is also meant to prepare them in case of the face-to-face classes implementation, adding that they also need the protection that vaccines provide, being included in the age groups that are most at risk of getting infected.

Moreno said the city government has been preparing for the mass inoculation of minors months ago, with about 50,000 already pre-registered.

The mayor said 23,354 vaccines have been reserved for the said age group and the city government still awaits the doses that will come from national government.

Lacuna, a doctor, meanwhile said the necessity of being vaccinated is the same for both adults and minors since the coronavirus knows no distinction.

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Itchie G. Cabayan