Parental consent still needed for vaccination of kids aged 5-11, says Duque

The provision wherein the State may give the necessary consent for the vaccination of minors aged 5 to 11 years old against COVID-19 has been removed, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

Under DOH Memorandum No. 2022-0041, the State may act as the parents patriae and give the necessary consent should parents refuse to give consent despite the desire of their child to get vaccinated.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said this provision was removed last week.

“So nakita ko ‘yan tapos sabi ko, hindi puwede ‘yan dahil labag sa Constitution ‘yan. Dahil ang parental consent, it is, you cannot substitute that until the Court decides under extraordinary circumstances,” Duque told Super Radyo dzBB.

(I saw the provision and I said that’s not allowed because it is against the Constitution. You cannot substitute parental consent until the Court decides under extraordinary circumstances.)

“Pero under normal circumstances, hindi mo puwedeng tanggalan ng karapatan ang magulang para kumonsento sa mga ganitong programa o ganitong vaccination natin,” he added.

(However, under normal circumstances, you cannot remove the right of the parent to consent to such programs and vaccination drives.)

This came after two parents urged a Quezon City Regional Trial Court to declare the memorandum as unconstitutional and void for alleged grave abuse of discretion.

Duque said the State may give consent for orphans as this could be considered extraordinary circumstances.

“So ‘yun na ‘yun, ang karapatan din ng Estado para pangatawanan sila. Dahil, syempre, kung wala naman mag-aalaga sa kanila, wala naman mag gagabay sa kanila, mandato ng Estado na sila ang tumayo na kinatawan,” he said.

(So this is the right of the State, to be responsible for them. Because, of course, there is no one to take care of and guide them, so the State is mandated to be their representative.)

Duque said the government aims to vaccinate 11 million minors against COVID-19. He said around 10,000 were vaccinated on the rollout in the National Capital Region while 500,000 have registered for vaccination.

The DOH has reiterated that all Food and Drug Administration-approved COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective. 

Megamall

In a related development, SM Megamall on Tuesday rolled out its vaccination drive for children aged 5 to 11.

During the ceremonial vaccination, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said almost 10,000 children aged 5 to 11 got their first dose against COVID-19 on Monday, and only one kid experienced a side effect.

“Thank God, ang adverse event wala sa major side effect. Isa lang po sa Parañaque ang may side effect pero rashes lang. Ibig sabihin talaga na ang bakuna ay talagang safe and effective. Makakaasa tayong mga magulang na ang formulation na ito for kids ay talagang maayos,” he said.

(Thank God, there were no adverse events or major side effect. Only one kid from Parañaque experienced rashes. This means that the vaccines are really safe and effective. The parents could ensure that this formulation for kids is good.)

The pilot rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for 5 to 11 years old in the country started in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday.

SM Supermalls president Steven Tan said the vaccination of kids is “a huge step forward” to ensure that the children will have a chance to enjoy the new normal.

“At SM, we will help your children have a fun and comfortable vaccination experience. We have here our friends from various brands who helped us create a kid-friendly atmosphere with activities, treats, and meals all for our great super kids. We also ensured that our health protocols are in place so they can enjoy a convenient and safe vaccination appointment in our malls,” he said.

Duque said the government aims to vaccinate 11 million minors against COVID-19. He said around 10,000 were vaccinated on the rollout in the NCR while 500,000 have registered for vaccination.

Based on DOH's national COVID-19 vaccination dashboard, 60,659,350 individuals have already received their first dose against COVID-19 as of Friday, February 4.

Of this number, 59,845,474 have completed their doses, while 8,011,994 have received their booster shots after reaching the three to six month requirement. —KBK, GMA News