THE Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force on Saturday resumed administering Covid-19 vaccines to children 5 to 11 years old after CHCC received a total of 1,800 doses of Pfizer for children.
According to CHCC Public Information Officer Guillermo Lifoifoi, 900 doses of Pfizer for children 12 years and older, and 900 doses of the same brand for children 5 to 11 years old arrived in the CNMI on Saturday morning.
On Jan. 5, 2022, CHCC temporarily stopped the vaccination for children after running out of Pfizer vaccines.
On Saturday, CHCC announced that 96.7% of the CNMI’s eligible population had been fully vaccinated.
As of Saturday, more than 100,000 vaccines in the CNMI had been administered since it became available almost a year ago.
During a media briefing on KKMP radio Friday morning, CHCC Chief Executive Officer Esther Muna said almost 40% of those who had been vaccinated had also received their booster shots.
She does not expect that 100% of the eligible population will be fully vaccinated. “It is not possible for the CNMI,” she said. “There are individuals that cannot take it because of medical reasons, religious reasons, or just their own reason that they don’t want to get it.”
For its part, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is redefining the meaning of “fully vaccinated,” she added.
“‘Fully vaccinated’ is basically saying that you are up to date with your vaccines in regards to Covid-19,” Muna said as she appealed to eligible community members to have their booster shots.
“If you look at the recent deaths, none of those who have died have gotten the booster shots,” she added.
“The CDC has the data, we have the data. Guam has its data too. What we are seeing is that people really need to think about booster shots.”
Eligible individuals may have their booster shots five months after the Pfizer primary series, six months for Moderna, and two months after a single dose of Janssen or Johnson & Johnson, CHCC said.
People who got a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine should get the same vaccine for their booster shot, the CDC said, but they can mix and match, depending on preference or availability.
But Muna said only Pfizer can be used as a booster shot for the age group 12 to 17 years old.
