There is high public acceptance on the Covid-19 pediatric vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old in Zamboanga City, National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said Thursday.

“Sa ngayon talaga pong puspusan ang ating pagbabakuna at kahapon nga po galing ako ng Zamboanga at saka Basilan at ako ay biglang namangha at saka nabigla po talaga na ang taas ng tinatawag nating acceptance ng mga children vaccination doon sa Zamboanga City, even na sabi na nila na paubos na yung kanilang mga supply dahil maganda po ang acceptance ng mga bata (As of now we are intensifying our vaccination since yesterday, I came from Zamboanga and Basilan and I was amazed and shocked that there’s really high acceptance of pediatric vaccination in Zamboanga City and the vaccines are already running out due to good acceptance among children),” Galvez, also the vaccine czar, said in an interview over Super Radyo DZBB.

Galvez said the opening of a new mall in the city has contributed to the success of the pediatric vaccination rollout, as it also serves as a center of economic and education within its neighboring provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

He also cited the crucial effect of massive information drive in pushing the vaccination program, particularly in Muslim areas.

Galvez said some 10 regions have vaccinated 70 percent of the target population and five regions have exceeded 80 percent vaccination coverage.

Included in the regions with high vaccination rates, Galvez said the Zamboanga Peninsula has recorded more than 71 percent of its target population are fully vaccinated.

The latest data from NTF showed that 61,626,201 adult Filipinos are now fully vaccinated, including those recipients of single-dose Janssen and Sputnik Light jabs, and 210,000 minors under 5-11 age group have received their first dose of reformulated low-dosage Covid-19 jab. (PNA)