The Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) has recommended the use of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine among children six to 17 years old.
“The VEP already submitted the recommendation to FDA , use of Sinovac vaccine for the prevention of Covid among 6 to 17 old,” said Infectious disease expert and DOST-VEP member Dr. Rontgene Solante in a text message on Saturday, March 12.
Currently, the Philippine FDA has approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for 12 to 17 years old. The agency also approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be used among children aged five to 11.
In a related development, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said the country’s pediatric Covid-19 vaccination is “doing well.”
“We have reached about one million plus na iyong ating mga (among our) five to 11 . We are doing well with our 12 to 17 . So mga 70 percent na tayo sa fully vaccinated ng (We have about 70 percent fully vaccinated among the) 12 to 17 ,” Cabotaje said during a public briefing on Saturday.
“So one million ng ating five to 11 ang naka-first dose (About one million children aged five to 11 have already received their first dose). Tapos meron ng mga naka-second dose– 237,000 (Also, there were 237,000 who already got their second dose),” she added.
Previously, the DOH said there were about 12.7 million children aged 12 to 17 in the Philippines. Also, the government aimed at vaccinating about 15 million Filipino children aged 5 to 11 years old.