Four children have experienced adverse effects after the rollout of the Covid-19 pediatric vaccination of the government on October 15, based on an “unofficial” report gathered by the Department of Health (DOH).
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire clarified that the initial report on adverse event following immunization (AEFI) is not yet official.
“Let me caution all of you, it’s not official yet,” Vergeire said during the DOH Beat Covid-19 Media Forum, stressing that official reports will be coming from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) VigiFlow, the national database of adverse reactions.
These children, she said, have experienced high blood pressure, stress and allergic reaction. Vergeire also stressed that these adverse reactions were “managed” immediately.
A total of 1,509 minors, aged 12 to17, have received the Covid-19 vaccine doses as of October 16.
Participating hospitals for the pediatric vaccinations are: Philippine Heart Center, Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, and National Children’s Hospital.
There are around 1.2 million children with comorbidities aged 12 to 17 in the country, according to the DOH.
Second phase commences
Over 144,000 minors are expected to be vaccinated in the second phase of the government’s pediatric vaccination drive this week, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya disclosed the second phase will cover 144,131 children in the 15 to 17 years old age group.
The second phase will run from October 22 to 31, 2022.
“Our priority will be those who have comorbidities,” Malaya said in a television interview last Monday.
Last week, the government started administering novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) jabs to 1,151 minors in eight Metro Manila hospitals managed by the Department of Health (DOH) hospitals.
With Samuel P. Medenilla