MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is all set for the pilot vaccination of children 12 to 17 years old on Friday, October 15.
The DOH said eight hospitals in Metro Manila will be used as pediatric vaccination sites, as follows:
- Philippine Children’s Medical Center
- National Children’s Hospital
- Philippine Heart Center
- Pasig City Children’s Hospital
- Fe Del Mundo Medical Center
- Philippine General Hospital
- Makati Medical Center
- Luke’s Medical Center (Taguig)
Children with comorbidity will be given priority in the vaccination drive.
The DOH said only Pfizer and Moderna anti-COVID-19 vaccines will be used in the pilot vaccination as they are the only ones that have been granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for minors by the FDA.
The health department said it will be closely monitoring the vaccination that will be using Moderna vaccines following reports of adverse effects among children that have received the vaccine in several European countries.
These children were reported to have developed myocarditis or inflammation and damage of the heart muscle, resulting in shortness of breath, chest pains, decreased ability to exercise, and an irregular heartbeat.
The DOH spokesperson Usec Maria Rosario Vergeire, however, gave the assurance that such are very rare cases.
“Kapag tiningnan po natin ang ating datos, even internationally, makikita ho natin, of cases of this type of adverse reaction, iyong myocarditis is just less than 1 in a million. So ibig sabihin, it’s very rare,” Vergeire said. —/mbmf
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