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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Children with comorbidities may be included in A3 category, says Duque

Children with comorbidities may be included in A3 category, says Duque

Published Aug 23, 2021 10:41 am

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, Aug. 23, said children with comorbidities may be included in the vaccination priority groups of the government.

(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

The approved priority groups now are A1 (frontline health workers), A2 (senior citizens), A3 (persons with comorbidities), A4 (economic frontliners), and A5 (indigent population).

"For the vaccination for children, that also is not yet within the contemplation of the IATF," Duque said in a virtual forum, noting that vaccine prioritization still remains for those who are in eligible groups.

However, Duque said children with comorbidities may be included in the A3 category.

"This is my personal view, if children are really those with co-morbidities, children with heart, lung, and other accompanying medical conditions, that may fully justify -- from a policy standpoint -- that's allowed for children with co-morbidities ," Duque added.

"In the light of a more transmissible Delta variant, I think it makes a lot of sense, I don't anybody would question that they should be included as among individuals with co-morbidities and automatically belong to the A3 category within the prioritization framework."

In June, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine on adolescents aged 12 to 15.

Meanwhile, China's Sinovac vaccine has applied in July for the amendment of their emergency use authorization in the country to cover 3-to-17-year-olds.

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department of health covid-19 covid-19 vaccine
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