Sinovac seeks nod for emergency use of COVID-19 jab in kids
MANILA, Philippines — Chinese drugmaker Sinovac Biotech has submitted a request to allow the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged three to 17, the head of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration said.
“This is another potential vaccine that can be used for the pediatric age group,” FDA Director General Eric Domingo said during a recorded briefing aired early Wednesday.
“Our vaccine experts are now taking a look at the data, and of course, asking questions to proponents and getting more information,” he added.
A final decision on Sinovac’s request may be released within the month.
The EUA granted to CoronaVac, Sinovac’s COVID-19 jab, in February allowed its use for clinically healthy individuals aged 18 to 59 years. In April, the FDA approved the recommendation to expand the use of the vaccine in senior citizens as the country faced a surge in COVID-19 infections.
China approved the emergency use of CoronaVac in people aged between three and 17 last month.
The country’s drug regulator earlier allowed the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in adolescents aged 12 to 15.
Only health workers, senior citizens, persons with comorbidities, economic frontliners, and indigent Filipinos are being inoculated at the moment.
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