Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has praised the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) issuance of an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Moderna vaccines for children aged 12 to 17.
"I want to thank FDA Chief Eric Domingo for their quick action in giving emergency use approval for the Moderna vaccine on kids aged 12 to 17. We now have Moderna and Pfizer vaccines that we could tap when we start opening up our vaccination program with this age group," Zubiri said in a statement on Friday, September 3.
"It’s been so terrifying, seeing the newer strains of the virus striking more and more children, so this approval is fantastic news. We will be able to have one more layer of protection for our kids, apart from the current health protocols that we are enforcing," added the Senate leader, who is a father of three children.
The FDA announced Friday that vaccine experts have approved the use of Moderna vaccines for adolescents, saying the benefits would outweigh the risks amid the spread of the Delta variant.
Earlier, the regulatory agency allowed the emergency use of Pfizer vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds.
Zubiri said he hopes that the grant of the EUA to Moderna will fast track the government's vaccination program and "help us reach herd immunity more quickly."
He appealed to the government's interagency task force to allow the vaccination of children.
"As a parent and for all the parents in our country, we hope they will heed our request," he said.