The Philippines started vaccinating children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 against COVID-19 nationwide on November 3, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Only vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna have so far secured emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for the vaccination of minors.
“Further details and the guidelines with regard to the nationwide expansion of pediatric vaccination will be released once finalized,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
Prior to this development, the vaccination of minors was piloted mid-October only for immunocompromised children residing in Metro Manila.
Latest data showed some 18,666 children with comorbidities have received COVID-19 vaccine in the capital region.
As of October 22, around 25.1 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated. This figure represents 32.54% of the 77 million eligible population that the government hopes to inoculate before year-end to reach herd immunity.
