Pediatric group: No adverse events reported yet after COVID-19 jabs among kids aged 5-11

The Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) on Monday allayed concerns regarding adverse reactions to children aged 5 to 11 years old of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a Balitanghali interview, PPS spokesperson Dr. Carmela Kasala explained that they are monitoring studies and vaccination drives in other countries to see if there are developments regarding the inoculation for the age group.

“Sa mga adverse reactions naman, halos wala ngang nangyayari. Mga adverse reactions o kamatayan, siyempre, ‘yan ang hinihintay nating tignan kung meron bang mga ganong mga detalye. Pero so far, wala pa naman,” she said.

(Regarding adverse reactions, almost nothing has been reported so far. We are of course monitoring if there are such details about these adverse reactions or even death, but so far, there’s none.)

Kasala made the remark following the petition filed by Dominic Almelor and Girlie Samonte, both concerned parents, before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the rollout of the pediatric vaccination for the 5 to 11 age group.

The petitioners were represented by the Public Attorney's Office.

The pilot rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for 5 to 11 years old in the country pushed through on Monday in the National Capital Region.

Kasala said that should there be reports of adverse events after the pediatric inoculation, these would be investigated first by health experts as these may be coincidences only.

“‘Yung tinatawag na causality from the vaccine ay talagang siniseseryoso at inaalam muna bagong sabihing dahil nga doon sa bakuna or baka nagkataon lang na may sakit din na iba ‘yung bata at nagkaron ng aberya nung nagkaron siya ng bakuna,” she added.

(The causality from the vaccine is being dealt with seriously and is being investigated first to know if it was caused by the vaccine or maybe it was just a coincidence that the child was also sick and had a problem when he or she got the vaccine.)

She then assured the public that the Pfizer vaccine administered for the 5 to 11 age group was studied thoroughly by vaccine and immunization experts before they were granted the emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in late December of 2021.

“Nandito ang Philippine Pediatric Society na highly nagrerekomenda nitong pagbabakuna sa 5-11. Hindi naman po namin ilalagay sa peligro ang inyong mga anak. Kami rin po ay magulang, kami rin ay may mga anak at ‘yang bakuna naman so far, ngayong studies na ‘to, ay okay naman—safe at efficacious naman,” Kasala said.

(The Philippine Pediatric Society is here, highly recommending this vaccination for aged 5-11. We will not put your children in danger. We are also parents, we also have children and the vaccines so far, as shown by current studies, are okay—they are safe and efficacious.)

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout of children aged 5 to 11 will start on February 14, the National Vaccination Operations Center earlier said. —KBK, GMA News