MANILA, Philippines — The country’s Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 12 to 15 years, the Department of Health said Tuesday.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told Philstar.com that the drug regulator has amended the emergency use authorization granted to the Pfizer-BioNTech shot to include individuals 12 years and older in its indication for immunization.
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“The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shall be administered only by vaccination providers, and used only to prevent COVID-19 in individuals ages 12 and older,” the amended EUA issued on May 28 read.
The EUA granted to the Pfizer-BioNTech jab in January cleared the vaccine for use only in people aged 16 and up.
The development is seen as a crucial step toward reopening schools, which have been shut down by the pandemic, and can help increase the level of immunity in the population.
However, due to the limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, vulnerable sectors such as health workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities remain the focus of the government’s inoculation efforts.
“While we welcome more vaccines that are approved for children and adolescents, due to limited vaccine supply, our vaccination strategy remains the same—prioritize the vulnerable and adhere to our prioritization framework,” Vergeire said.
“The general consensus of our vaccine experts is to revisit pediatric and adolescent vaccination once our vaccine supply has stabilized,” she added.
The DOH said Monday it was open to the possibility of using the coronavirus vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech in children and adolescents.
Since the start of the country’s inoculation drive, only 1.5 million people have completed vaccination against COVID-19, while over 4.4 million have received their first dose.