Galvez: Vaccination of minors vs. COVID-19 possible by Q4 2021

Kids and teenagers could possibly get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the fourth quarter of 2021, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Galvez said the bulk of COVID-19 vaccines effective on minors will arrive in the last quarter of the year.

The COVID-19 jabs developed by Chinese firm Sinovac and American drugmakers Moderna and Pfizer have been authorized for use on children and teenagers in some parts of the world. 

“Nakikita po namin baka fourth quarter po [magsimula] kasi doon po dadagsa, may makukuha po tayo na mga Pfizer, Sinovac, at ‘yung Moderna,” Galvez said.

(We expect the vaccination of minors to start in the fourth quarter because that’s when we’ll get the bulk of Pfizer, Sinovac, and Moderna shipments.)

He said there are around 29 million minors in the country.

“Sinasabi ng experts, hindi natin makukuha ang (Experts say that we won’t achieve) herd immunity if there is a sizeable amount of population that is roaming around unvaccinated,” Galvez said.

He also said the vaccination of minors against COVID-19 will pave the way for a return to face-to-face classes.

The Department of Health earlier said Filipino experts will study the use of the Sinovac shot on minors once the Chinese manufacturer has submitted a revision of its emergency use authorization in the Philippines. 

The Food and Drug Administration has also said that it is looking to allow the use of the Pfizer vaccine on Filipino minors aged 12 to 15 after experts gave “very favorable” recommendations. 

Over 4.4 million individuals nationwide have been inoculated as of June 6, still far from the government’s target of vaccinating 58 million people in COVID-19 hotspots by November. —KBK, GMA News