MANILA - The third round of nationwide vaccination program will be extended until Feb. 18 in a bid to reach government's target of inoculating 5 million more individuals, the Department of Health said Friday.

Some 662,318 first doses were administered beginning the program's launch on Thursday, while 219,972 booster shots were given, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

The program will run parallel with the expansion of COVID-19 jabs for children ages 5 to 11, Vergeire said. Around 52,262 children of said age group have been given first doses in 56 vaccination sites, she added.

• Nationwide COVID vaccination of younger kids to begin Feb. 14: official

"Kailangan magpatuloy ang ating pagbabakuna para mabigyan ng todo protection ang ating vulnerable population," she told reporters.

(We need to continue our vaccination so we can give the best protection to our vulnerable population.)

Government has revised a provision on its policy on the COVID-19 vaccination of children ages 5 to 11 and is reviewing its memorandum on jabs for children ages 12 to 17, Vergeire said.

"Kahit kailan di po sinabi ng Department of Health na ang ating pagbabakuna ay pupuwersahin natin ang mga magulang. This is purely voluntary, we're asking for the consent (of parents) and assent of kids. The vaccination program of government is purely voluntary," she said.

(The Department of Health never said we will force vaccination on parents.)

"Lahat po ng nilalabas nating policies (All policies we release) regarding vaccination and other policies on COVID-19, we always say it’s interim kasi evolving po ang science (because science is evolving)."

Vaccination against the coronavirus is important to reduce its transmission and mutation, Vergeire reiterated.

"Variant mutation is unpredictable, patuloy itong mabubuhay sa host lalo na kung immunocompromised o di pa nabibigayan ng bakuna (it will continue to survive if the host is immunocompromised or unvaccinated)," she said.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv