DOH: Only 25 adverse events reported after COVID jabs for 23,000 minors

Teenagers accompanied by their parents receive their first COVID-19 shot at Las Piñas General Hospital last week. (MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / INQUIRER file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Only 25 adverse events following immunization (AEFI) were reported among over 23,000 minors aged 12 to 17 and with comorbidities who have so far received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje reported that three of the 25 AEFIs are severe cases.

She said the severe cases involved vaccinees who had severe allergies that required an injection of epinephrine and those that needed oxygenation. All the severe cases were properly managed.

“Yung ibang kaso are mild allergies, may kaunting rashes, may kaunting sakit sa injection site, but many of these, nakikita natin sa mga bata even with measles and rubella [vaccination] na school-based,” Cabotaje said in an online media forum.

(Other cases were mild allergies, rashes, or pain in the injection site, but many of these are also observed among children vaccinated against measles and rubella in schools.)

Currently, the government is only vaccinating minors aged 12 to 17 and with comorbidities in Metro Manila.

The Department of Health  earlier said that the government will begin the nationwide rollout of vaccination for all minors within the same age bracket, even those without comorbidities, on November 3.

Cabotaje, however, clarified that only Metro Manila and other areas ready for pediatric vaccination will start the inoculation drive for minors on the said date.

She added that the “full rollout” of nationwide pediatric vaccination will be on November 5.

“Technically, NCR (National Capital Region) ang November 3 but based on the readiness of certain areas, pwede na rin magstart sa ibang area. Kung confident na sila, pwede na rin silang magstart ng November 3. We will now have everybody, the go signal, at least pare-pareho tayo, on November 5, [when] the whole country will have the full rollout of pediatric 12 to 17 years old,” she explained.

(Technically, the NCR and other areas ready and confident to start pediatric vaccination will begin the inoculation drive for minors on November 3. We will have the go signal on November 5 when we will have the full rollout of pediatric vaccination in the whole country for children aged 12 to 17.)

The government launched the first phase of pediatric vaccination for those with comorbidities in eight hospitals in Metro Manila on October 15.

The second phase, still in the Metro Manila, started on October 22 and is now being implemented in 39 hospital-based and non-hospital based vaccination sites.

The third phase, on the other hand, will kick off on October 29 in 123 hospital-based and non-hospital based vaccination sites across all regions.

LOOK: Phases of COVID-19 pediatric vaccination @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/EFCwbUWtPP

— Cathrine Gonzales (@cgonzalesINQ) October 28, 2021

The pediatric vaccination will cover an estimated 12.7 million minors. Cabotaje said the government aims to vaccinate at least 80 percent of the target population by December.  

LOOK: Breakdown of target population for pediatric vaccination per region @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/2b77FGM3vT

— Cathrine Gonzales (@cgonzalesINQ) October 28, 2021

Overall, the country has administered over 57 million COVID-19 vaccine doses (31 million as first dose, 26 million as second dose)  since the rollout in March.

Health Usec. Cabotaje says a total of 57 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/JpTOwHgEIp

— Cathrine Gonzales (@cgonzalesINQ) October 28, 2021

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