CAMIGUIN (PIA)–Citing benefits of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 vaccines to children aged 12-17 years old, Camiguin Provincial Health Office (PHO) urged parents to submit their children for vaccination.
During the OK Doc radio program, November 10, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Gretchen Cabalang said as of November 10, the province has inoculated 1,331 eligible children, “mas paspas ang pagdawat sa mga kabatan-onan kung i-compare atong pagsugod nato sa atong vaccination.”
(The children are more willing to be vaccinated as compared to the start of vaccination among adults)
For his part, Camiguin General Hospital (CGH) Nurse Conrado Odchigue said there is a great need for the said age group to be vaccinated because “kadaghanan sa mga bata dili gyud musunod. Among malabyan man ni sila pirmi, makita gyud nato nga to follow a minimum health protocol lisud gyud sa ila i-follow.”
(many of these children will never follow [health protocol]. We can see them as we roam around and they really find it hard to follow a minimum health protocol)
Odchigue also emphasized that submitting children for vaccination is a way to support the planned opening of face-to-face classes once the Inter-Agency Task Force will allow the learning method.
Thus, Cabalang added that parents play a great role in explaining to their children the benefits of COVID-19 vaccine and the importance of following the minimum public health standard.
As for the pediatric vaccination requirements, Dr. Carmela Macarayan, CGH pediatrician, said children, accompanied by their parents or guardian, must bring their birth certificate if not, they can present their baptismal certificate or school identification card (ID), consent from the parents, and the child’s consent stating that he or she is willing to be vaccinated.
Children who could not go to the vaccination site with their parents can opt to go with a guardian. The guardian will just need to secure a certification from the barangay indicating the guardian’s relationship to the child.
The CleanCamiguin QR code is also required upon entry to the vaccination site both from the parent or guardian and the child to be vaccinated.
For the regular vaccination or without co-moribidities, Cabalang said the vaccination will still be held in the usual vaccination sites of the towns. Those with co-morbidities should be vaccinated at CGH and must present their medical certificate from an attending physician or pediatrician.
Macarayan enumerated the co-morbidities that they consider for the vaccination and these include endocrine disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, neurologic disorder like cerebral palsy, epilepsy on medical maintenance, and diagnosed bronchial asthma.
On the vaccination process, Odchigue said it is just the same with the vaccination of adults and the only difference is the documentary requirements for the children.
As of November 9, the province has recorded 7 COVID-19 confirmed cases of which 1 is from Mambajao, Mahinog (1), and Guinsiliban (1). Four are availing the no quarantine policy. From March 2020-present, there are 1,681 recoveries and 174 deaths due to COVID-19 in the province.
There are 175 persons with history of travel or COVID-19 exposure of which 125 are from Mambajao, 22 from Mahinog, 1 from Guinsiliban, 4 from Sagay, and 23 from Catarman. (RTP/PIA-10)
