Parental consent required for COVID-19 vaccination of minors — Palace

GOT YOUR BACK – Cosplayers in superhero costumes assist and comfort a child receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine shot at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City on Monday. (NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / INQUIRER)

MANILA, Philippines —The consent of a parent or guardian is required for minors to get vaccinated against COVID-19, acting presidential spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Tuesday.

Nograles said that the provision under a Department of Health (DOH) memorandum, which states that the government may give consent to a child willing to get immunized, is rescinded.

“Kailangan po ng consent ng magulang o guardian bago mabakunahan ang ating mga anak,” he said during the Palace press briefing.

(The consent of a parent or guardian is needed before a minor is vaccinated.)

“Kaugnay nito, lilinawin lang natin ang balita kung saan sinabi na government may give consent to a child willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Nais po nating ipaalam sa publiko na ang nasabing probisyon sa polisiya ng pagbabakuna ay tinanggal na po,” he continued.

(In line with this, we would like to clarify reports that said that the government may give consent to a child willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We would like the public to know that the said provision in the policy has been scratched.)

Senator Imee Marcos on Sunday hit theDOH memorandum that allows the state to give consent to a willing minor to get vaccinated.

DOH Memorandum 2022-0041, dated January 24, stated: “In case the parent/guardian refuses to give consent to the vaccination despite the desire and willingness of the minor child to have himself/herself vaccinated, or there are no persons that may legally exercise parental authority over the child, the State may act as parens patriae and give the necessary consent.

“Therefore, the proper officer representing the State as parens patriae may sign the consent form. In this regard, the [Department of Social Welfare and Development] or its city/municipal counterparts shall serve as the proper office who shall represent the State,” it added.

Earlier, two individuals petitioned the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order on the pediatric vaccination for minors aged five to 11, arguing that the rollout “was issued in grave abuse of discretion and unconstitutional, given all the red flags against [the] administration of COVID-19 vaccines to children.”

The pediatric vaccination for minors aged five to 11 kicked off on February 7. A total of  9,784 children under the said age bracket received their first dose.

The National Task Force Against COVID-19 previously said that they are targeting to immunize 15 million minors from the 5-11 age group.

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