Pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations to expand to 13 more NCR hospitals –DILG

The pilot run of COVID-19 pediatric vaccinations in the National Capital Region will be expanded to 13 more hospitals on Friday, said the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

At the Monday Laging Handa briefing, DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that Phase 2 of the pediatric vaccination program initially covering people aged 15 to 17 is set to start on Friday.

“Ang target po natin sa pilot na ito is 144,131 na mga kabataan from 15 to 17 years old,” added Malaya.

(Our target is to vaccinate 144,131 adolescents aged 15 to 17 years old)

Malaya said that the 13 hospitals covered by the expansion were local government-based hospitals.

A total of 1,509 minors with comorbidities aged 15 to 17 years old were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the first week of the rollout of pediatric vaccinations, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

A total of 1,509 minors with comorbidities aged 15 to 17 years old were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the first week of the rollout of pediatric vaccinations, according to the Department of Health.

The Philippines started its vaccination of people aged 12 to 17 on October 15, Friday. The pilot run is split into two phases: first, covering people aged 15 to 17; second, aged 12 to 14.

Initially, the vaccination of those aged 15 to 17 covered eight hospitals:

• Philippine General Hospital
• Philippine Children's Medical Center
• Fe Del Mundo Medical Center
• Makati Medical Center
• St. Luke's Medical Center
• Philippine Heart Center
• National Children's Hospital
• Pasig City's Children Hospital

The requirements for pediatric vaccination are a medical clearance from a doctor, informed consent of a parent or guardian, assent from the vaccine recipient.

Initially, the DOH prioritizes adolescents who had the following comorbidities:

• genetic conditions
• auto-immune disorders
• neurologic conditions
• metabolic and endocrine conditions
• cardiovascular diseases
• obesity
• HIV
• tuberculosis
• chronic respiratory disease
• renal disorders
• hepatobiliary disorders

— DVM, GMA News