Kids Aged 12 To 17 With Underlying Health Conditions Can Get COVID-19 Vaccine On Oct. 15

• The Philippines will roll out COVID-19 vaccines to minors starting October 15, 2021, Malacañang said Thursday. The national government seeks to expand vaccinations due to a surge in virus infections.

  Kids aged 12 to 17 with underlying health conditions will be prioritized for vaccination among minors. (Click here to know where you can register register your child for COVID-19 vaccine.)

  In a press release, the Department of Health (DOH) says, “The said age group will be part of the Priority Group A3. Expansion beyond this group will follow once adequate coverage of the A2 priority group or senior citizens has been achieved nationwide and vaccine supply becomes sufficient to include children.”

  So far, the Philippines has cleared two vaccine brands for pediatric vaccination — Pfizer Biontech and Moderna.

  “The pilot will begin on October 15, 2021 under a phased approach as may be determined by the National Vaccination Operations Center,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

  The DOH said that other children and teens could soon be included in the vaccination program once the country secures more jabs supplies.

  The following are the primary considerations of the DOH for the vaccination of minors:

  1. Informed consent by the parent /guardian and child before vaccination will be obtained.
  2. Supply availability of Pfizer and Moderna, the only vaccines with emergency use authorization for 12 to 17 years old issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration
  3. Equitable access to medical clearance by a physician for children with comorbidities

  DOH adds in its press release, “For the initial run, we recommend that children with comorbidities will be vaccinated in selected sites with clearance from their pediatricians or trained doctors, or for far-flung or Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), with clearance from on-site trained physicians guided by a checklist from the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP).

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  “We have to ensure that children have equitable access to vaccines. Eventually, as we get more local experience, we will be able to retool our current vaccinators on the additional precautionary steps on screening and vaccine administration,” said DOH spokesperson and undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.

  The DOH further called on all those eligible among the adult population to get vaccinated and get the additional protection that vaccines offer to protect children who cannot be vaccinated.

  “Like what our DOH All Expert Group has always emphasized, even if we have approved the recommendation to vaccinate children with comorbidities, we still have to increase our vaccination coverage among other priority groups, especially our senior citizens.

  “COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer the protection they promised against severe COVID-19 and deaths, but we have to remember to still adhere to the minimum public health standards as we may still get infected or infect others,” said Usec. Singh-Vergeire.

  This article originally appeared on Reportr.World. Edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors

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Kids Aged 12 To 17 With Underlying Health Conditions Can Get COVID-19 Vaccine On Oct. 15
Source: Progress Pinas