MANILA - A number of local governments in Metro Manila are making kid-friendly adjustments to their vaccination sites as they prepare to take on a new group of vaccine recipients this week.

The comfort and ease of 5-to-11-year-old children who will get jabbed beginning February 4 were prioritized in selecting the locations and readying the surroundings at the venues, representatives of the LGUs told ABS-CBN News.

This is in keeping with guidelines released by the Department of Health (DOH) for the rollout.

“Kailangan handa ‘yong area for whatever happens during the immunization para naman maging pleasant ‘yong ating experience ng ating mga kabataan,” Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations Center chief Dr. Myrna Cabotaje said at a public briefing Saturday.

(The area should be ready for whatever happens during the immunization to help make the children’s experience pleasant.)

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EXCLUSIVE SPACES

Parañaque City Health Office head Dr. Olga Virtusio said they are allocating exclusive spaces to address children’s specific needs.

“[It’s] risky in mixing them actually with the adult population. Totally a lot of considerations for this in terms of the environment to make it really a cozy one for them and welcoming environment for them in terms of how they can be motivated to be vaccinated,” she said in a phone interview.

Parañaque will be using its already running vaccination sites at SM Sucat and Ayala Malls for the 5-to-11 rollout.

Regular vaccine recipients and those getting boosters will be moved to different locations either within the malls or outside.

Virtusio said they would be “very creative” in crafting the vaccination area.

“Ang edad na ito will be a little bit impatient, a little bit mobile, playful, and medyo pasaway, mainipin, and you just have to be very playful also in terms of the environment.”

(Children at this age will be a little bit impatient, a little bit mobile, playful, naughty and easily bored, and you just have to be very playful also in terms of the environment.)

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Having separate vaccination venues will also help avoid errors and mistakes in the vaccination process, Virtusio said.

The formulation for the Pfizer vaccines approved for the juvenile age group is a diluted version of those given to adolescents and adults.

Virtusio added the rollout for children could not be done elsewhere since the city’s cold storage facilities—a requirement for the Pfizer vaccine—would have to be transported there.

“Already we have been advised not to move as often the freezers that we have on hand, and it might cost us already too much expense. Baka kasi masira na din (They might get damaged as well),” she said.

The city health office said 21,000 have already registered for the pediatric vaccination, but only 700 will be included in the first day of the rollout.

Non-resident children can be registered for the jab but the initial rollout will prioritize those from Parañaque.

CREATING AMBIENCE

Other cities such as Makati and Mandaluyong will open venues at malls and schools for the rollout.

Makati City plans to use SM Makati and the Nemesio I. Yabut Elementary School.

In Mandaluyong, the allocated vaccination site at The Podium mall will mimic the children’s party-themed setup used at the nearby SM Megamall which put up life-size comic book characters for the vaccination of 12 to 17 year olds.

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The other site will be located at the Addition Hills Integrated School.

Jimmy Isidro, the city’s chief of staff, said the environment would hopefully help ease children’s apprehension and also keep some from having tantrums.

“Ang gusto kasi ni mayor dito sa 5 to 11, may ambience na medyo nalilibang na 'yong mga bata… ‘Pag nakita nila ‘yong area, medyo maganda ‘yong dating sa kanila, [maganda] sa mata. Maging festive ‘yong area, hindi siya mag-create ng anxiety,” he said.

(The mayor would like to create for this rollout an ambience where the kids would be entertained. When they see the area, it would look good to them. The hope is it becomes festive and not create anxiety.)

The City of Manila, meanwhile, is already using the recently reopened Manila Zoo as a vaccination site for adolescents and even adults.

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The Manila Public Information Office said the zoo was already cleared by the DOH for the 5-to-11 rollout.

People planning to get their vaccine there would have to register twice—first at the city’s Covax website for an appointment and second at the Manila Zoo website to get into the park.

The Bagong Ospital ng Maynila, currently in operation for immunizing public utility drivers, will be the second venue.

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The city has yet to finalize if dedicated areas will be allocated for children at the sites.

The DOH said 32 sites, among them 3 government hospitals, will handle the initial vaccination for children in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.

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The rollout will begin in the National Capital Region on February 4, while it begins in the surrounding provinces on February 7.

The agency has listed 168,355 registrants for the 5-11 vaccination as of January 29, but is targeting 15.5 million children nationally.

Many areas initially require getting registered online for the vaccine and do not accept walk-ins.