MANILA, Philippines — Minors with comorbidities will be the first ones to be vaccinated as the government opens the COVID-19 inoculation program to children, the Department of Health said Wednesday.
“The DOH confirmed that pediatric vaccination will start among 12 to 17 year olds with comorbidities as part of priority group A3,” the agency said in a statement.
“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,” it added.
In a briefing, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said the government is eyeing to begin the administration of COVID-19 jabs to minors with comorbidities in Metro Manila on October 15 because the vaccination coverage in the capital region is “quite good.”
The department said that children and their parents or guardians should sign consent forms for vaccination. Medical certificates must be also presented.
Minors with health risks will receive vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, the only two brands that secured emergency use authorizations for adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the country.
The government also widened the vaccination program to include adults not previously prioritized for COVID-19 jabs.
Currently, the inoculation drive in the country covers health workers, senior citizens, people with comorbidities, essential workers and indigents.
Since March 20.8 million people have so far completed vaccination against COVID-19, while 23.9 million have received partial protection.