Health Usec. Eric Domingo of the Food and Drug Administration. INQUIRER.net file photo
MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 vaccines for children below 12 years old may be available before the year ends, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Eric Domingo said on Tuesday.
“I would think before the end of the year. I’m pretty sure Pfizer’s going to be ready and the Sinovac also told us that their data is being collated and will be submitted soon. So, I believe before the end of the year, we’re going to have vaccines for children below 12,” Domingo said during the Palace press briefing.
The official hoped that Pfizer would submit its application of an emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines for four to 11-year-old minors.
“Nagtanong na sila. They already asked for the list of requirements and they told us that they are completing the requirements. Mayroon lang kasi yatang difference kaunti doon sa formulation ng vaccine for children,” he shared.
(They already asked. They already asked for the list of requirements and they told us that they are completing the requirements. There may just be a slight difference in the formulation of vaccines for children.)
Meanwhile, Sinovac is still completing their data on vaccines for children below 18 years old which will be submitted to vaccine experts, Domingo said.
Currently, the government is rolling out the pediatric vaccination program for children aged 12 to 17 years old.
Based on the last figures that Domingo saw, the country has administered Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to 500,000 eligible minors, noting that adverse events are less than one percent and mostly are mild.
“I think the most severe was allergies and mayroong parang pasyente isa na bata na nag-hyperventilate (and another child hyperventilated). So, so far, so good and we’re still continuing with that,” he said.
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