MANILA—Twelve minors with comorbidities will be the first to receive COVID-19 vaccine at the Philippine General Hospital Friday, a hospital official said.

PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said the children aged 15 to 17 would receive the anti-virus jab developed by US drugmaker Pfizer.

COVID-19 vaccination for minors aged 15 to 17 starts Friday as the country seeks to expand its immunization program.

The select hospitals for the pilot pediatric inoculation are the PGH, Philippine Children's Medical Center, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, National Children's Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children's Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center and Makati Medical Center.

Del Rosario said vaccinees must be preregistered to receive the COVID-19 shot. Walk-in applicants are prohibited.

He said the PGH might start vaccinating next week 60 minors per day.

"Malaking bagay po ito na puwede nang bakunahan ang ating mga anak na may comorbidities kasi sila po ang tinatamaan ng severe COVID," he told TeleRadyo.

(Vaccinating our children with comorbidities is important because they're susceptible to severe COVID.)

As of Oct. 13, the country has administered over 50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Some 23.7 million people were fully vaccinated against the disease or 30.81 percent of the country's target.

The government aims to inoculate more than 77 million adult Filipinos by year-end.