A photo of a teenager who received his first dose last month recently gained online buzz due to his height which is uncommon for people his age in the country.
A community news outlet shared a picture taken by physician Stephen Henry Chin on November 12 which showed a 17-year-old male being vaccinated while standing up.
His height was reported to be 6’8” or six feet and 8 inches.
The vaccinator was seen standing on a chair to reach the teenager’s deltoid muscle where the jab needed to be administered.
The incident happened in Cotabato City Central Pilot School, according to SunStar Davao.
The national government has started to inoculate 12 to 17 year old Filipinos against the virus causing COVID-19 last October.
High-efficacy vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer are being distributed which were proven to be safe for adolescents.
Viral photo
Chin’s photo has been similarly posted by several media outlets including SunStar Cebu, a radio station and a sports-oriented page.
The latter claimed that a school member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association was already “reaching out to his relatives.”
Other news outlets that reported the teenager’s COVID-19 vaccination didn’t include such information.
The photo garnered thousands of shares and reactions.
Some Filipinos were amazed by the teenager’s height as adult Filipinos are five-foot tall on average.
“Attention: PBA and big schools. A scholarship is much appreciated… Need lang [ng] training,” a Facebook user commented.
“I hope he plays basketball or golf or any sport that requires height,” another online user wrote.
“Ilang Cherifer ang ininom nung bata nito?” a different Filipino commented, referencing a supplement known to boost person’s growth potential.
“Pa-donate height hehe,” quipped another Facebook user.
The Philippines is known to be a basketball-loving country.
In basketball, taller players have an advantage since their shots have less distance to travel to the basket and their ability to reach higher in the air can yield a better chance of blocking an opponent’s shot.
“The taller you are, the closer you are to the rim. Offense and defense both become a bit easier with height. The top rim-protectors have always been tall with an above-average wings,” blogger The Basketball Movement wrote.
