MANILA - Marikina City is targeting to inoculate more than 60,000 children aged 5 to 11 against COVID-19, its mayor said Friday as the rollout for the sector was moved next week due to logistical challenges.

• DOH postpones COVID-19 vaccination rollout for children

A parent's informed consent and the child's assent are required in order for the jab to be given, said mayor Marcy Teodoro.

Teodoro made the remark after two parents on Thursday asked a Quezon City court to stop the inoculation against COVID-19 of 5- to 11-year-olds.

• Two parents want local court to stop COVID-19 vaccination of 5- to 11-year-olds

"It's very clear in the guidelines that consent of the parent shall be exercised since minors are under parental authority. Assent will also be required. There should also be manifest willingness," he told ANC's Headstart.

"If there is objection on the part of the child, they will not administer the vaccine. Sinasabi ata nila, mga nasa foster, adoption home, 'yung mga walang magulang talaga, walang established legal guardian, dun ata i-exercise ng state ang kaniyang authority for these children to receive vaccine."

(I think what they're referring to are those in foster and adoption homes, on whom the state will exercise its authority for children to receive the vaccine if they do not have an established legal guardian.)

The parents who petitioned the court on Thursday against the pediatric inoculation program questioned a provision in the health department's circular allowing the government, through representatives from the social welfare department, to give consent for vaccination of a minor in case the latter wants to get vaccinated but the parent/guardian refuses.

Teodoro said focus group discussions and fora led by doctors and teachers are conducted in Marikina to inform parents of the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Teodoro.

"We have an experts group that do the explanation to them in a language that will be understandable to the patient, in this case to the parents," he said.

Vaccination of the 60,691 children will initially be held in schools as these have the organizational capacity for the registration and post-monitoring, the mayor said.

The city aims to inoculate 1,000 to 1,500 children daily as local governments are given 60 days to implement the vaccination, Teodoro added.

"I think these children are more familiar in the school environment. There are counselors, nurses that can take the matter in terms of recording, monitoring. They can also provide necessary coping strategy for the children," he said.

Marikina's active coronavirus infections are down to less than 200 from 2,000 three weeks ago, Teodoro said.

It has a positivity rate of 8 to 9 percent, from 48 percent three weeks ago, and its hospitalization rate is "below 40 percent," Teodoro added.

"Nakita namin (We observed) milder and most of the cases were asymptomatic. Home management really ang ginagawa (is what's being done)," he said.

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