Pediatric groups recommend adults get COVID-19 vaccinations first

For COVID-19 prevention, the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines recommend vaccinating all adults living in the same house as the child.

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases among children, the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines have recommended prioritizing vaccinating older and adult age groups.

“In view of these considerations, the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) recommend that the older and more adult age groups should still be given precedence in the vaccination rollout. Once a sufficient percentage has been vaccinated in the priority adult groups, children 12 years old and above may be considered for vaccination, with priority given to those who live in areas with high transmission and those with co-morbidities,” the groups explained in a statement last Monday.

As a precaution against COVID-19, PPS and PIDSP suggest vaccinating the adults living in the house with the child. As face-to-face classes remain suspended, they claimed studies show children can get the virus after contact with an adult.

“Vaccinating qualified adult household members not only protect these individuals but also extends protection to children and other vulnerable persons who cannot be vaccinated,” PPS and PIDSP expounded.

The groups said that the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country might be driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, which was first detected in India.

The groups noted that the country’s figures on COVID-19 confirmed pediatric cases present “higher incidence among adolescents but an increase in mortality among the youngest age group.”

“There is [a] lack of comprehensive local data on hospital admissions, case severity, and disease outcomes amongst the different pediatric age groups, although studies are ongoing. Research is also being done to determine if the Delta variant causes [an] increased incidence in children compared to other age groups. Currently, there is yet no concrete evidence to support this variant is more virulent and may cause more severe disease in children,” the pediatric groups said.

To date, minors are not yet included in the national immunization program and only around 10 percent of the population are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

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