The Department of Health (DOH) is expected to release the implementation guidelines this week for the beginning of the Sinovac vaccination of children ages 6 and above.
In an interview of DZRH with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, he revealed that the DOH public health services are now building the implementation guidelines for the said pediatric vaccination.
As of this moment, the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) and the vaccine expert panel are still studying the data that the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) used to give the emergency use authorization (EUA) to the said brand of vaccine.
Duque said that the experts are going to have a meeting to discuss the said release of implementation guidelines to start the vaccination of the Chinese-made vaccine to the pediatricians' ages 6 and above.
“Binubuo lang ng public health services team ng DOH yung implementing guidelines. So, hopefully within the week bago magtapos ay makalabas na ng implementing guidelines. Pinag-aaral din ng ating vaccine expert panel, yung HTAC natin, yung basis for the grant by FDA nung amendment ng EUA para sa Sinovac, for pediatric age group 6 to 17 years of age. So hopefully within the day magakaroon sila ng meeting ngayong umaga kung anong kakalabasan nyan. Eh makakapag bigay linaw kung kelan natin pwedeng umpisahan ang paggamit ng Sinovac para sa pediatric age group," Duque said.
As of this moment, only the COVID-19 vaccine brands Pfizer and Moderna are allowed to be used for the age group 12 to 17 while the reformulated Pfizer vaccine for the age group 5 to 11 years old.
