480 children jabbed in Naga Vax Kid rollout

By Jason B. Neola

Some 480 children were inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at SM City Naga, Robinsons Place Naga, and Vista Mall as part of the Naga City government’s kids vaccination drive.

The 5 -11 years old kids, who are residents of the city and were accompanied by their parents and guardians to the vax sites, benefitted from the Naga Vax Kid rollout being pursued by the city government together with the Department of Health in Camarines Sur in collaboration with the management of the three malls.

Mayor Nelson Legacion said the Naga City Health Emergency Response Task Force (HERTF) chaired by City Health Officer Vito Borja, MD is planning to make the Naga City Mega Vax Facility at the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum available for the child vax program.

PRAYER A young boy reads a prayer before the start of the mass immunization of 5 to 11 years old children at the SM City Naga on Feb. 22. The activity was simultaneously undertaken at Robinsons Place Naga and Vista Mall. JBN/CEPPIO

“The plan will allow us to inoculate more children in a shorter period in that area that can accommodate several hundreds of children,” the mayor said.

Borja said this is not the time for parents to hesitate or entertain a second thought in bringing with them their kids to the vax sites. He said parents and guardians should take the opportunity to have their children or wards vaccinated “now that vaccines are still available.”

Rose Cama, mother of 6-year-old Zen Michael, expressed her thanks to the city government, saying that vaccine is the best thing that she can give to her child in this time of pandemic.

“For me, this [vaccination] is the best thing that we can offer to our children as we all hope to see them soon going to schools, playing games outside our houses and doing the usual things they do like in the pre-pandemic period,” she said.

Legacion said the Naga Vax Kids will be conducted three times a week in the malls’ vaccination sites which don a kiddie-friendly theme to make them enjoy while waiting for their turn to get jabbed.

The vaccination at the three malls was conducted to launch the Naga Vax Kid program. Borja said similar activities will also be undertaken in the barangays if situations warrant.