DOH OKs COVID-19 booster for 12-17 year olds

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health has approved a government panel’s recommendation for the administration of COVID-19 booster shots to children aged 12 to 17, the agency said Tuesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire confirmed that Secretary Francisco Duque III has signed the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council.

“Guidelines are being drafted already by the DOH,” Vergeire said.

In an interview with TeleRadyo, vaccine expert panel head Nina Gloriani, said that authorities are working on technicalities. She added that boosters can be administered to the age group once the guidelines are issued.

In October last year, the Philippines began vaccinating young people aged 12 to 17 against coronavirus, a critical step in the reopening of schools.

“Medyo may ilang buwan na rin na nabigay yung primary series nila. May waning immunity plus of course, may banta pa rin nung mga variants or subvariants of concern. And we want also na mag-normalize pati ang mga bata natin, mga anak natin, apo and so on,” Gloriani said.

(It’s been months since we administered their primary series. There’s waning immunity plus of course, the threat of new variants or subvariants of concern remains. And we also want the lives of children to return to normal.)

Incoming Education Secretary Sara Duterte, also vice president-elect, said on Monday that they are targeting to resume full in-person classes in August.

Latest government data showed that over 70 million Filipinos have completed vaccination against COVID-19. However, only 14.85 million people have gotten booster shots.

Authorities have been urging eligible individuals to get boosted as the country sees another spike in cases driven by the presence of more transmissible Omicron subvariants, increased mobility, and waning vaccine immunity. — Gaea Katreena Cabico