The Department of Health (DOH) has identified 11 comorbidities that will be prioritized as the government targets the rollout of minors between 12 and 17 years old with comorbidities this month.
In an online media forum, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that minors with the following comorbidities would be prioritized:
1. Medical Complexity
2. Genetic conditions
3. Neurologic conditions
4. Metabolic/endocrine
5. Cardiovascular disease
6. Obesity
7. HIV infection
8. Tuberculosis
9. Chronic respiratory disease
10. Renal disorders
11. Hepatobiliary
Over the weekend, DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje announced that the vaccination will be pilot tested at Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Philippine Heart Center (PHC), and National Children’s Hospital (NCH), adding that “Children with comorbidities, who are regularly attended to by the said hospitals, will be prioritized.”
Meanwhile, Vergeire said that there are other hospitals that will also join the pilot test but refused to divulge these hospitals during the forum since the list is still being finalized.
The DOH, earlier said that pediatric vaccination will start once adequate coverage of the A2 priority group or senior citizens has been achieved nationwide and vaccine supply becomes sufficient to include children.
“For the initial run, we recommend that children with comorbidities will be vaccinated in selected sites with clearance from their pediatricians or trained doctors, or for far-flung or Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas [GIDA], with clearance from on-site trained physicians guided by a checklist from the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines [PIDSP],” Vergeire said.
The DOH noted that considering that the risks of contracting severe Covid-19 infection or dying from Covid-19 is significantly lower for healthy children, it follows that the benefits from vaccination relative to the risk of a healthy child is also lower compared to a sick child, adult or senior citizen.
“Like what our DOH All Expert Group has always emphasized, even if we have approved the recommendation to vaccinate children with comorbidities, we still have to increase our vaccination coverage among other priority groups, especially our senior citizens,” Vergeire said.
In finalizing the guidelines, the DOH is ensuring that (1) informed consent by the parent/guardian and child prior to vaccination will be obtained; (2) supply availability of Pfizer and Moderna, the only vaccines with emergency use authorization for 12 to 17 years old issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration; and more importantly, (3) equitable access to medical clearance by a physician for children with comorbidities.
“We have to ensure that children have equitable access to vaccines. Eventually, as we get more local experience, we will be able to retool our current vaccinators on the additional precautionary steps on screening and vaccine administration,” Vergeire said.
The DOH further called on all those eligible among the adult population to get vaccinated and get the additional protection that vaccines offer to also protect children who cannot be vaccinated as of this time.
“Covid-19 vaccines continue to offer the protection they promised against severe Covid-19 and deaths, but we have to remember to still adhere to the minimum public health standards as we may still get infected or infect others,” Vergeire said.
In an online press briefing also on Monday, National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said the participating hospitals are the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Fe del Mundo Medical Center and the Philippine General Hospital.
He said they already coordinated with the concerned local government units (LGU) for the implementation of the pilot of the pediatric vaccination.
“This will be done in phases. We will start with those 15 to 17 years old and then those 12 to 14. Then after 14 days, we will expand to select LGUs [local government units] in NCR [National Capital Region],” Galvez said.
Among the said age groups, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they will prioritize the administration of Covid-19 jabs to those with comorbidities set by the Philippine Pediatrics Society and the Philippine Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines.
After the 30-day pilot, Galvez disclosed the pediatric vaccination will be rolled out in the entire NCR and in areas where more than 50 percent of those in the A2 priority category (senior citizens) are already fully vaccinated.
The vaccine czar said the government allocated 60 million Covid-19 vaccines doses for the inoculation of children. With Samuel P. Medenilla
Image courtesy of PNA/Robert Oswald P. Alfiler