DOH eyes immediate booster rollout for healthy kids

MANILA, Philippines — A written consent from the parent or guardian is required for healthy children aged 12 to 17 years to receive COVID booster shots, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire revealed the plan for the immediate rollout of the booster shot for non-immunocompromised children during the Laging Handa briefing yesterday.

“Will have orientation in local vaccines operations center and hopefully, tomorrow or in the coming days we will already start the booster shots for children aged 12 to 17 years who are non-immunocompromised,” Vergeire said.

She said the rollout of the booster shots was delayed, but the DOH has come up with the necessary guidelines for the administration of boosters for the rest of the non-immunocompromised children.

The National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said the start of the booster rollout for healthy children may depend on the readiness of the implementing units as provided under the guidelines.

The guidelines provide that a vaccine recipient should be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the vaccination site.

An informed consent signed by the parent or guardian as well as the vaccine recipient should be submitted prior to the administration of the booster.

Without the signed informed consent, the vaccination will not push through.

A vaccine recipient who does not give his or her consent should not be coerced to receive the additional dose.

The recipient should be closely monitored for possible adverse reactions before allowing him or her to leave the vaccination site.

Aside from informed consent, a vaccination card with complete details of the administered two primary doses is also required as well as an identification card from the parent or guardian.

The DOH stressed the need for a large vaccination site to accommodate the recipients and the parents.

At the same briefing, Vergeire reported that the DOH would launch this year another round of National Vaccination Days (NVDs) to increase the COVID immunization rate nationwide.

She said the NVDs conducted by NVOC were successful in improving the country’s vaccination rate.

As the incoming chief of the NVOC, Vergeire said she intends to continue the NVDs, although she stressed the need to come out with new strategies to lure more Filipinos to get vaccinated, particularly the booster shots.

Citing DOH data, Vergeire said only 26 percent of the eligible population have received booster shots.

“We are looking for the 74 percent of our eligible population to receive their first booster shots. I believe it is more important now to pursue the first booster shot for the 74 percent eligible population, which is around 40 million Filipinos,” she said.

Vergeire said the government is studying the possibility of expanding the second booster shot for people aged 50 to 59 years as well as those with comorbidities.

The DOH has asked the Food and Drug Administration to expand the current emergency use authority for the 50 to 59 years age bracket and those with comorbidities.