By Alec Go
The Department of Health said the adverse events following COVID-19 immunization among children are mostly mild and will subside in two to three days.
In the Friday (Feb. 4) Malacañang briefing, Heath Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the usual mild side effects are pain in the injection site and headache, and that there is no data showing vaccines cause death among children.
“Batay po sa global data mula sa 8.7 million vaccinated children sa mundo, 97.6% sa mga ito ay walang naranasang adverse events following immunization (AEFI),” she said.
“Rare po ang occurrences nito matapos mabakunahan ang ating kabataan…. Walang reports ng recorded deaths at serious adverse events matapos mabakunahan,” she added.
Vergeire reiterated that approved vaccines in the country have undergone thorough evaluation by experts, as she called on guardians and parents to get their children vaccinated citing their vulnerability to diseases.
She also said that there was an increase in the number of admitted children during the Omicron situation.
“About 14.5%, this is a percent to total admissions right now ‘no in this Omicron situation, are less than five years old. Iyon naman pong mga five to seventeen years old ay nasa mga about 6%, almost 6%,” she said.
“Kapag sinuma po natin iyan, about 21% out of all the total admissions that we have for this Omicron situation ay mga kabataan po… One of the ways to protect them is to vaccinate them with this COVID-19 vaccine,” she added.
Severe infection
In a Dobol B TV interview on Saturday (Feb. 5), Vergeire cited a multisystem inflammatory syndrome phenomenon among infected children admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19.
“Parang sa matatanda po, kung saan apektado ang iba’t-ibang organs ng mga katawan hanggang nagkakaroon na ng shutdown or tumitigil na o nasisira ang organs ng ating mga kabataan,” she said.
She said the syndrome, which is a “severe form” associated with COVID-19, can be prevented when children are vaccinated.
The Philippines will begin vaccinating children five to 11 years old on February 7 using two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines with 0.2 ml formulation with a 21-day interval.
The DOH said the inoculation of children is voluntary, but reiterated that vaccination and observance of minimum public health standards are effective in preventing infection and mutation of the coronavirus.
