COVID-19 PANDEMIC

WHO: OK to vaccinate kids under certain conditions but elderly should be prioritized

The World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region on Wednesday backed the COVID-19 vaccination of children with comorbidities in areas with widespread transmission but underscored that the elderly must still be prioritized.

Dr. Socorro Escalante, coordinator for essential medicines and health technologies, said children are less likely to suffer from COVID-19 compared to other age groups.

“WHO is recommending to countries where children have comorbidities, and if these children are in places where there is ongoing community transmission, as well as the formation of clusters, then children could be vaccinated,” she told a news conference.

“But again, we still need to put that in the context of prioritizing the elderly which are more vulnerable to severe disease,” she added.

Earlier this month, Philippine health authorities said it is not yet time to vaccinate kids and teenagers against COVID-19, citing the need for more data on safety. 

Vaccine experts are currently studying whether to approve the use of the Moderna vaccine on individuals aged 12 and above. The Pfizer shot has already been permitted for use in the same age group. 

Meanwhile, Escalante said evidence still does not support the use of booster shots.

“Especially within the context of the very constrained global supply, our priority will be for countries to ensure that the vaccines that are available to them are used to cover the priority groups,” she said.

The Philippines has fully inoculated over 12.87 million adults as of August 18. 

Escalante said the vaccination rollout in the country is “going quite well” with over 95% of health workers and more than 46% of the elderly already fully vaccinated. —KBK, GMA News