Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION VII – CENTRAL VISAYAS
DIVISION OF LAPU-LAPU CITY

Students’ Perception on COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccination

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements
for Completion

CHRISTINE JANE R. FLORES

E.G HANNA T. ANDAO
FRANCES CLAIRE C. SOLANA
GRACE YUMAYRA C. ROSOS
JENROSE D. VECERA
LYKA MARIEL A. LINDO
SHEN L. CUIZON
SHANNIA M. NIERRA
VAUGHN LESTER S. ANDRINO

June 2022
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THE STUDY AND ITS SCOPE

I. Rationale of the Study

In 2020, the world was on a lockdown to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus

around the globe. In December 2019, the epidemic began in China, and as the days passed, it

spread widely, and cases skyrocketed, affecting country after country. After months, the solution

has finally been distributed as COVID-19 vaccines from different clinical trials in the U.S. and

spread worldwide. Sputnik V in Russia and Sinovac from China Biotech Ltd. and Pfizer (College

of Physicians of Philadelphia, 2022). Months after the release of COVID-19 vaccines, a German

Biotechnology company (BioNTech) provided another vaccine type allowed for children and

teenagers that paved the way for Pediatric vaccination. Pediatric Vaccination is not compulsory

but is encouraged to achieve herd immunity among adolescents.

With the global spread of the disease, COVID-19 has infected more than 48,000 youths

aged 17 and younger in the Philippines over the past few years (Save the Children, 2021). Fear

has gripped all countries and students at all levels. Consequently, several countries produced

vaccines and are now undergoing more sophisticated developments such as safety and efficacy

to manage the disease and act as a valuable solution to get herd immunity, which refers to the

immunization of a specific population to defend themselves against the disease (WHO, 2022).

As schools prepare to reopen, immunization among students faces a critical stumbling block as

most students refuse to take the vaccination. The most frequent causes for vaccination rejection

are the vaccine's inefficiency and a general suspicion of vaccines (Kocamaz & Kocamaz, 2022).

In this context, this study aims to determine the Perception of the Grade 10 students of

Pusok National High School towards Pediatric Vaccination, specifically aims to determine the
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students’ awareness, brand preference of the vaccine, willingness to be vaccinated whether

fully dose or with booster shots.

II. Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study is to understand the perception of the grade 10 students about
the COVID-19 vaccine under the Pediatric Vaccination program.
1. Are the Grade 10 students aware of COVID-19 vaccination among teens aging 12 to 17
years of age?
2. Do Grade 10 students have a brand preference for the COVID-19 vaccine?
3. Are the Grade 10 students willing to be vaccinated?
3.1. Fully dosed:
3.2. Booster shots:

III. Research Participants

This study involved ten (10) students who were willing to express their perceptions of the
challenges faced in Pediatric vaccination. The ten participants are the students enrolled in
Grade 10 of Pusok National High School. This study approaches the use of the purposive
sampling method. It's a type of non-probability sampling in which researchers choose
participants for surveys based on their judgment (Alchemer, 2021). The participants were
selected purposively based on: grade, age, and school.

IV. Research Procedure

In this study, the researchers utilized a one-page survey questionnaire which comprised

the respondents' demographic profiles and the survey questions.

● The demographic profile of the respondents includes their grade, age, and school.

● There are six questions in the questionnaire which are on:

1) The Students' Awareness of the COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccination.

2) The Students' Initiative In Taking The COVID-19 Vaccine.

3) The Students' Preference In A COVID-19 Vaccine Brand.

4) The Students' Belief In The Efficacy of the Vaccine.

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5) The Students' Conception In Taking The Full Dosages of the Vaccine.

6) The Students' Perception In Taking The COVID-19 Booster shots.

The structured research instrument, designed to inquire about the respondents'

perceptions, directly addresses the research questions while allowing the researchers to gather

follow-up questions.

V. Results of the Study

Vaccinating children against COVID-19 can help control the pandemic and the global
economic recovery. Moreover, the public's perception, especially the students, could matter. Ten
participants from Pusok National High School shared their perceptions of the COVID-19
Pediatric Vaccination. The table below shows the results of the survey conducted.

Grade 10 Students’ Perception of COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccination

Questions YES NO TOTAL

1. Are you aware of the COVID-19 Pediatric 10 0 10

vaccination?
2. Would you take a COVID-19 vaccine (approved for 8 2 10
use in the Philippines)?
3. Do you prefer a vaccine brand? 7 3 10

4. Do you think getting the COVID-19 vaccine helps to 10 0 10

fight infection?
5. Would you have full doses of the vaccine? 8 2 10

6. Will you have booster shots? 3 7 10

Based on the available data obtained by the researchers, the table shows that all of

the participants agreed with the first question about whether they knew about Pediatric

vaccination. It means that the majority of the students are aware of the Pediatric vaccination.

One respondent said in a follow-up interview via messenger that she was aware of the effects
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and side effects of the vaccine and its brand apart from the pediatric vaccination itself through

social media.

Furthermore, the survey revealed the participants' opinions about the initiative of taking

the COVID-19 Vaccine. The data shows that eight people agreed to be vaccinated, while two

are against it. In the follow-up interview, the participants’ support receiving the country's

recommended vaccinations whereas the opposition said that health problems were the source

of their disagreement.

The third question asked whether the selected 10th graders preferred the brand of

vaccination. Based on the data collected by the researchers, the table shows that seven of the

participants agreed, while three did not. Since most of them answered in the affirmative, the

survey results indicated that they preferred alternative brands apart from the prescribed vaccine,

mainly Sinovac Biotech, to those offered by Pfizer BioNTech and prescribed by Pediatric

Vaccination (DOH, 2021). In a follow-up interview, one of the respondents speculated that

another vaccination was harmful.

The fourth question showed that ten participants were aware of the purpose that

COVID-19 vaccine could help stop the disease in which the vast majority of participants claimed

to have obtained the information from the Department of Health's official Facebook page.

The responses collected on the fifth question of whether they would like to receive a

complete vaccination dose were overwhelmingly positive, with only two being negative. It

implies that they are favorable to taking full doses of the Pediatric Vaccines. One of the

responders from the follow-up interview conducted via messenger indicated he does not want to
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feel those pains, numbness in their arms, and the sensation of being sick. They also added that

they believe the first dose will be enough to protect them from the COVID-19 virus.

The data collected for the sixth question revealed that of the seven participants who

refused to receive the booster shot, only three students agreed and received the booster shots.

For them, booster shots were unnecessary.

VI. Findings

This section presents the research findings of the data collected from the research
participants.
● Ten participants were aware of what Pediatric vaccination is together with the effects and

the side effects.

● Data from the study survey showed that most participants had a preferred vaccine brand

in addition to the brand recommended for pediatric vaccines. Data collected from the

survey also showed that most participants were willing to take and receive a full dose of

the COVID-19 vaccine.

● The data collected showed that most of the participants refused to receive the booster

injection. After a follow-up interview with the participants who are against the booster

shots, they argued that the purpose for their disagreement in the taking of the booster

shots is that it is unnecessary due to already taking full doses of the vaccines.

VII. Conclusion of the Study

This study concluded that there is a positive perception among Grade 10 students who

are aware of Pediatric Vaccination. Although the 10th graders had a preference for brands other

than the recommended pediatric vaccines, most were willing to receive a full dose of the

COVID-19 vaccine. However, those students who received and have yet to receive the vaccine
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are reluctant to have booster shots as they believed that it wasn't essential for their

immunization.

VIII. Recommendations

This study divulges the students' perception of COVID-19 pediatric vaccination. Thus, the
following recommendations are as follows:

● Since the data revealed that almost all students support the vaccination process and the

implementation of COVID-19 Pediatric vaccination, a presumption came up that those

who had already received the prescribed vaccines could encourage their co-students to

be vaccinated in order to engage in the face-to-face learning continuation.

● To gain herd immunity and be able to adapt to the new normal, the government should

ensure the benefits and safety of vaccines to encourage everyone to get vaccinated and

adhere to the protocols implemented by the government.

● Since the research study has a restriction to a specific context and sampled a small

number of 10th grade students, a suggestion came up that a similar study in different

contexts should administer to the students in order to explore and elaborate the

perception of students on the COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccination.

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References

College of Physicians of Philadelphia. (2022, April 16). Coronavirus. History of

Vaccines.
https://historyofvaccines.org/diseases/coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR1NjiNlnNdV-J2Sg

ZLNp_HgvvWz1oGW_hNv-EDquP2tmLfmeGTLT2Lkj88

Department of Health. (2021, August 16). Know Your Vaccines (Vaccine

Matrix: Current Evidence) | Department of Health website. Doh.Gov.Ph.
https://doh.gov.ph/vaccines/know-your-vaccines?fbclid=IwAR3u1Is0fiAZb-SQaAq
vCz9kzqATFvbzIJmr6ex-etAYGD59hQSUxSr7yKw
Jordan, M. (2021, August 26). Purposive Sampling 101 | Alchemer Blog. Alchemer.
https://www.alchemer.com/resources/blog/purposive-sampling-101/?fbclid=IwAR

34xXM83wQU3e-yP7A0S6EVZvIZ93f5JS1irhlfn2KQ_5-PSzt-tu2el5o

Kocamaz, E. B., & Kocamaz, H. (2022, April 9). Awareness of Covid-19 and

attitudes toward vaccination in parents of children between 0 and 18 years: A

cross-sectional study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2022.03.011

Save the Children. (2021, August 18). Save the Children Philippines raises concern

on increasing number of children with COVID-19; calls for immediate action and
protection by government and general public - Philippines. ReliefWeb.

https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/save-children-philippines-raises-concern-in
creasing-number-children-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR1v_dKBHdsDL5bKlMwrP4w7y7j
dvTO15M6lY1iZIlsUYX2OUPW5RRcVBcM

World Health Organization. (2020, December 9). How do vaccines work?

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https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/how-do-vaccines-work?adgr
oupsurvey
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Appendix A

Research Instrument: Survey Questionnaire

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION VII – CENTRAL VISAYAS
DIVISION OF LAPU-LAPU CITY

Name : ____________________________________________

Age : ____________________________________________

School : ____________________________________________

Topic : Students’ Perception on CoVid-19 Pediatric Vaccination

Instructions : Read the questions and answer them honestly as possible.

Questions Yes No

● Are you aware of the COVID-19 Pediatric

vaccination?
● Would you take a COVID-19 vaccine (approved for
use in the Philippines)?
● Do you prefer a vaccine brand?

● Do you think getting the COVID-19 vaccine helps

to fight infection?
● Would you have full doses of the vaccine?

● Will you have booster shots?

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