By the end of September, the government is reportedly hoping to begin inoculating children aged 12 to 17 against COVID-19. Before this happens, the government must first make sure that the other priority groups will be fully vaccinated.
As of yesterday, there were still long lines at vaccination sites particularly in crowded Metro Manila. The city of Manila, where even non-resident workers can get their jabs, has started around-the-clock vaccination. Last Thursday, the bedlam at certain vaccination sites in the city as well as in Las Piñas and Antipolo highlighted the still acute lack of COVID shots. Such chaotic scenes cannot be allowed if ever the government begins the vaccination of minors.
Around the world, there are increasing reports of children of all ages being infected with the COVID virus, particularly its most virulent mutation, the Delta variant that was first reported in India.
So countries that are ahead in the COVID-19 vaccination program such as the United States and Canada have started vaccinating minors aged 12 to 17. China has approved the COVID vaccines made by its state-owned Sinopharm and private firm Sinovac for use on children as young as three years old. The United Kingdom has approved vaccination for ages 16 and 17, while Israel has started vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 who are vulnerable to infection or at high risk of infecting vulnerable household members.
In the Philippines, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization last June to the COVID vaccine of US-German partners Pfizer-BioNTech for 12- to 15-year-olds. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez says the inoculation of children ages 12 to 17 could start by the end of September.
Children showed strong immunity to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, but health authorities report that Delta is infecting children of all ages. There is a growing consensus that minors must be included in the vaccination program, but the adult priority groups must be finished first.
Once pediatric COVID inoculation begins, there must be no potential superspreader events like the scenes recently at vaccination centers. After being quarantined for over a year, with a brief respite some weeks ago, it would be unfortunate if children catch COVID in the process of getting inoculated. Their visit to vaccination centers must be made as orderly and safe from infection as possible.