By Ma. Teresa Montemayor | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – A total of 3,416 children aged 12 to 17 with comorbidities have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, a health official said on Wednesday (Oct. 20).
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said more hospitals are eyed to participate in the pediatric vaccination program.
“Nagpaplano na po ngayon para ma-expand pa natin itong mga hospital na ating pinag-umpisahan para mas marami po tayong mga kabataang mabakunahan pa (The government is now planning to expand the vaccination program to more hospitals to cover more children),” she said in a media briefing.
In a televised public briefing, National Vaccination Operations Center representative Dr. Kezia Rosario noted that there is only one severe case of adverse event following immunization among the four cases that have been reported.
“Iyong isa, iyong severe case natin ay mayroong allergic reaction siya. The rest are related lang sa pagbabakuna na na-stress lang po sila during the vaccination. Nothing serious naman (Our severe case had an allergic reaction. The rest are stress-related during the vaccination. Nothing serious),” she said.
On Tuesday (Oct. 19), President Rodrigo Duterte said the government would expand the vaccination of minors to 13 more hospitals in the National Capital Region.
Last Oct. 15, the pilot run of Covid-19 pediatric vaccination started in eight hospitals in the National Capital Region — the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital-Global City, and the Makati Medical Center.
Children with any of these comorbidities are eligible for vaccination — medical complexity or those with long term dependence on technical support; genetic conditions; neurologic conditions; metabolic or endocrine diseases; cardiovascular diseases; obesity; HIV infection; tuberculosis; chronic respiratory diseases; renal disorders; hepatobiliary diseases; and those who are immunocompromised due to disease or treatment. (PNA) – bny
