THE Health Technology Assessment Council’s (HTAC) recommendation on the administration of the first Pfizer booster shots for children ages 12 to 17 has been approved by the Department of Health (DOH).
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said it has been approved but asked for the issuance of implementing guidelines.
In a radio interview also Tuesday, Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) chief Dr. Nina Gloriani said Duque only approved the booster dose from Pfizer because the pharmaceutical firm gave data and applied first for an emergency use authorization with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
She explained that DOH gave the green light for such development due to the waning immunity of the primary vaccine series against COVID-19, and the threats posed by the viral disease’s variants and subvariants.
“Napirmahan na ni Secretary Duque ‘yung approval dito. Hinihintay na lang ‘yung guidelines which will come in very soon. Meron na lang konting technicalities na inaayos tapos ilalabas na rin ‘yun. Pagkatapos noon ay puwede nang magbigay [ng boosters],” Gloriani said.
She was referring to the set of guidelines for the rollout of booster jabs against COVID-19 for minors aged 12 to 17, which National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) chairperson Myrna Cabotaje said may be released sometime this week.
Further, Gloriani said that the booster shots for 12 to 17 years old might have a lower dose as compared to the regular boosters given to the adult population.
“‘Yung 12 to 17 parang considered na adults, so hindi siya talagang maiiba. Although, medyo may nakita akong part ng hindi pa lumalabas na guidelines na 0.3 mL ang ibibigay. That’s Pfizer. Usually, I think that’s 0.5 [mL], so baka kalahati. Hindi pa ako masyadong sure pa do’n,” she said.
Gloriani said the booster vaccinations for adolescents may start with the immunocompromised, then the rest of the age group could start “eventually.”
