Unvaccinated minors told to stay at home

The rising number of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases among minors in Baguio City prompted Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong to issue an order restricting to home all unvaccinated minors (aged 17 and below) from January 21 to 31, or while the city is under Alert Level 3 status.

Magalong’s Executive Order No. 12, series of 2022 modifies Executive Order No. 5, series of 2022 on mobility restrictions for unvaccinated individuals.

The mayor’s directive was based on the report of the City Health Services Office that more than five percent of the city’s active COVID-19 cases on Monday, January 17 are minors below the age of 12.

The data emphasizes “that they (minors) are an at-risk population, more so that vaccination for this age group is not available at the moment,” Magalong’s order reads.

CHSO data as of January 19 reveals that 472 out of the 3,926 active COVID-19 cases are minors where 190 or 4 percent are aged 12 to 17 years old while 282 or 5.4 percent belong to the 0 to 11 years old age group.

However, unvaccinated minors may still leave their respective residences for indispensable transactions that require physical presence, or to seek medical reasons.

Unvaccinated minors are also allowed to attend recreational/wellness activities in outdoor spaces (parks, gardens, hiking and biking trails, outdoor non-contact sports courts and venues, and al fresco seating in dine-in establishments). 

“This is a proactive response to protect the vulnerable age group due to the high positivity rate and number of average cases per day in Baguio City,” the mayor’s order states. – Jessa Samidan/PIO Baguio