Zia Dantes, Luna Agoncillo And Other Celebrity Kids Get COVID-19 Vaccine

"Finally!!"

This is what Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo exclaimed after her two children, Luna Agoncillo, 6, and Lucho Agoncillo, 11, got their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The Philippine government began its vaccination drive for children ages 5 to 11 on Monday, February 7, 2022. Just three days since the initial rollout, Judy Ann and her husband Ryan Agoncillo are just among the several celebrity moms and dad  who are taking the lead in showing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for kids.

Celebrity kids get COVID-19 vaccine

1. Luna and Lucho Agoncillo

Judy Ann's kids Luna and Lucho are among those who first received the reformulated Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the country and got their shots on the first day of the rollout.

The celebrity mom of three marked her kids' vaccination by sharing photos from the vaccination site. She was pleased that they could do it via drive-thru and gave credit to organizers and medical frontliners for going all out with the preparations for the jab.

"Our little ones got their first dose of pfizer vaccine today! The waiting time is very forgivable bilang drive thru vaccine, the kids are not exposed to a lot of people.. plus the effort that DOH put and the team of doctors headed by dr. @ayenuguid and dr. @romeonuguidmd, with them are more than 50 nurses and doctors facilitating the vaccination," mompreneur detailed.

2. Zia Dantes

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes' panganay ate Zia also got her added protection against COVID-19. Marian posted a post-vaccination photo, captioning a picture of Zia making a thumbs up, "Ate Zia received her 1st dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Good job Ate Z! [heart emoji]"

3. Erich Baretto

For Marjorie Baretto having her youngest child, Erich, vaccinated against COVID-19 is "another  answered prayer for us." Marjorie got to record the moment when Erich got the jab.

The 9-year-old was visibly calm during the inoculation while Marjorie gave comforting words. "Mama's here," Marjorie tells Erich. The vaccination was finished in a flash, and although Erich was wearing a mask, her eyes show that she was smiling after the jab.

4. Lucia Intal

Bianca Gonzalez was also happy that her firstborn Lucia, who just turned 6 last October 2021, is now vaccinated against COVID-19. Posting photos from her daughter's vaccination, the mom of two says this was a moment she and her husband JC Intal "have been looking forward to."

The ABS-CBN host then extended her gratitude to the pediatricians present in the vaccination site, calling them "Rockstars" and the organizers of the site for making the immunization experience "smooth and enjoyable for all the kids!"

"We told Lucia that she was going to the doctor for her injection just like we had, but she didn't expect all the balloons, characters and goodies and she was so happy and kilig to see it all!!! What a brave girl our Lucia was," Bianca shared about her daughter's experience.

To encourage more parents to have their kids vaccinated, Bianca shared photos of flyers where vaccination sites for ages 5 to 11 are listed.

5. Raphael Landicho 

The GMA child actor flexed his arm, after getting his first dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Raphael, who is part of the cast of GMA's live adaptation of Voltes V, was also all calm while the vaccinator administered the jab.

Is COVID-19 vaccine safe and effective for kids?

Some parents are still skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine for kids given the speed at which it was developed. There are also false claims that the virus is not real or that immunizations are only created to harm or control people.

Parents' concerns and questions on whether or not the reformulated COVID-19 is safe and effective are understandable as it is their children's health, after all. But officials and health experts are one in assuring that enough data and research suggest that the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh the risks of being infected with the virus.

Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines President Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi says, "there may be very rare adverse events that may be associated with vaccines but we always weigh the benefits of giving it over the risk of getting down with disease and its complications, which the vaccine can prevent." 

Read more FAQs on vaccination of kids aged 5 to 11 here.

9,700 kids vaccinated

In an official statement released by the Department Of Health (DOH) on February 9, 2022, it said that a total of 9,784 kids ages 5 to 11 were vaccinated on the first day of the vaccination drive. It adds only one child experienced side effects—a rash that eventually disappeared.

The statement comes after it observed "posts showing children experiencing different reactions post-vaccination." DOH then said that "majority of those vaccinated have not reported any side effects."

It adds, "Of the few that experience side effects, most are mild and resolved within 24-48 hours."

No parental consent, no vaccination

DOH also reiterated that the vaccination for kids is not mandatory and parental consent is "absolute," meaning minors will not be inoculated against COVID-19 without parents' permission.

"Ang mananaig po ang consent, parental consent. Malinaw po 'yan. Hindi po pwedeng ang estado ang magbibigay ng pahintulot kung pwede bang bakunahan o hindi ang mga bata edad 5 to 11 o in fact even from 12 to 17 and also for 4 years or below. The parental consent is absolute," Health Sec. Francisco Duque said. (Read more here)