Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said vaccination of children aged 12 to 17 will begin in six hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) this month.

"We are preparing the vaccination of our general population and our children and pediatric this coming October 15. It will be conducted in six hospitals in Metro Manila and later on we will expand it into NCR cities, from six and then later on in 17 cities," he said.

Galvez said the pilot vaccination will be conducted in Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Fe del Mundo Medical Center and the Philippine General Hospital.

"We will start with the vaccination of 15 to 17 years old and then the 12 to 14. Then after 14 days, we will expand to select LGUs in NCR. These LGUs are the Manila, Pasig, Taguig, Makati, Quezon City, Mandaluyong," he said,

"After 30 days, we will have a rollout for the entire NCR and other areas where we have an average of more than 50 percent of A2 vaccinees. It means we will give this to the cities or areas with above 50 percent of the general population vaccination, especially the senior citizens," he added.

Galvez stressed the importance of the vaccination of children for the start of the limited face to face classes program of the government.

"We believe that we need to start the vaccination of children to protect them from COVID-19, it will also become the key for the opening of schools for the limited face to face classes," he said.

"We are encouraging the LGUs in our country to continue to increase your vaccination rate especially this fourth quarter where we expect more vaccine deliveries," he added. Robina Asido/DMS