DOH to release Covid-19 booster shot guidelines for kids aged 12 to 17 soon

The Department of Health (DOH) said it is expected to release the guidelines for the administration of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for children aged 12 to 17 years old in the coming days.
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said that the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) already gave its recommendation to administer a booster shot for the said age group.
“For the 12 to 17, meron ng recommendation ang (there is already a recommendation from) Health Technology Assessment Council for booster,” bared Cabotaje during a press conference on Friday, June 17.
“Nagsubmit na sila (They already submitted it) we are just looking at how to have the guidelines,” she added.
Once the drafted guidelines are checked by DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, the state health agency will immediately release it, said Cabotaje.
“By Monday after the Secretary or his designate will check...we will release the guidelines for booster for 12 to 17 years old,” she said.
At present, Filipinos who are 18 years old and above are eligible to receive a booster shot against Covid-19.
Second booster shot for general public
Meanwhile, there is no recommendation yet from HTAC to include the rest of the population in the second Covid-19 booster shot program, said Cabotaje.
“Gaya ng sinabi ni Secretary, yung second booster po sa ibang kategorya, hindi pa po nirerecommend ng ating Health Technology Assessment Council (Like what the Secretary just said, the second booster for other categories has not been recommended yet by our Health Technology Assessment Council),” she said.
Duque said that such a move is still being studied.
“Yung rest of population pinag aaralan yan sa kasalukuyan. Sinisiguro ang kaligtasan at appropriateness ng ating booster dose (For the rest of the population, it is currently being studied. We want to ensure the safety and appropriateness of our booster dose),” said the Health chief.
He reiterated that those who are eligible to receive a second booster shot for now are immunocompromised individuals, senior citizens, and healthcare workers.