Realizing the need for minors to be vaccinated as soon as possible, the Department of Health said the government will start giving out Moderna and Pfizer vaccines – the only shots given an emergency use authorization (EUA) so far by the Food and Drug Administration, starting November 3.
WANTING to ensure the safety of minors aged 12 and 17 at soonest possible time, health officials have decided they will be next in line and main focus of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program, with the nationwide rollout to begin next week.
In a statement, the Department of Health said the government will start giving out Moderna and Pfizer vaccines – the only shots given an emergency use authorization (EUA) for minors – starting November 3.
"Further details and the guidelines with regard to the nationwide expansion of pediatric vaccination will be released once finalized," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
The government has already started out giving Covid-19 vaccines to minors with comorbidities last October 15 in eight hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR).
This was expanded to the second phase last October 22 that included hospitals in different local government units in the region.
As of October 26, a total of 18,666 minors with comorbidities received their first dose of the life-saving shots during the initial phase of the pediatric vaccination.
Phase 3 of the pediatric vaccination is set on October 29, to include select regional hospitals outside the NCR.
Children with any of these comorbidities are eligible for vaccination -- medical complexity or those with long-term dependence on technical support; genetic conditions; neurologic conditions; and metabolic or endocrine diseases.
Also, those with cardiovascular diseases; obesity; HIV infection; tuberculosis; chronic respiratory diseases; renal disorders; hepatobiliary diseases; and those who are immunocompromised due to disease or treatment.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that there are around 12.7 million children aged 12 to 17 in 2021.
As of last week, 24.87 million Filipinos - or 32.25 percent of the total "target population" of 77.13 million - have already received their full two doses of Covid-19 vaccines.
Tags: #Covid19vaccine, #minors, #DepartmentOfHealth, #herdimmunity