Contrary to what the senior official of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) said, the Department of Health (DOH) stressed that it is still prohibited to vaccinate minors against COVID-19 even if they have a contagious disease, which is covered. of vaccine priority.
This was mentioned by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire Friday, even though NTF deputy chief implementer Secretary Vince Dizon said yesterday that it is possible for 12-17-year-olds as long as they have the Pfizer vaccine and have comorbidity.
“Hindi pa… Hindi pa ho napagbibigyan ng rekomendasyon ng ating mga eksperto na magbakuna na tayo ng mga 12-17 years old with comorbidities,” said Vergeire.
“Gusto pa rin natin masiguro ang safety ng mga bakunang ito para sa ating mga kabataan kaya kailangan pa natin ng additional evidence for that.”
The DOH official says this is even though the Food Administration already has an emergency for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 12-17. Other COVID-19 vaccines are only prescribed for those 18-years-old and older.
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12-17-year-olds can’t be vaccinated vs. COVID-19 even with comorbidity
It was only in June that Vergeire said the DOH was open to using Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines in children 3-years-old and older after China approved their EUA for it.
“‘Yung mga supplies po natin ngayon, kailangang idirekta muna natin doon sa mga taong matatanda, A2 at tska ‘yung mga ating A3 (persons with comorbidities) and A1 (healthcare workers). Pagkatapos, tska tayo pupunta sa ibang sectors,” said Vergeire.
“And secondly, base sa ating pag-aaral, and even now na meron tayong Delta variant, nakikita po natin, ang mas highly likely, ang mas may risk talagang maospital, magka-severe infections, and even mamatay ay ‘yung mas nakakatanda.”
According to the DOH’s recommendation, it would be better for all adult populations to be vaccinated indoors first so that children can also have “indirect protection” from the deadly virus.
Some COVID-19 referral hospitals in Manila find that many of those confined to their facilities for the disease are non-seniors and unvaccinated.
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