Pediatrician groups want adults prioritized for vax before kids

Pediatrician groups in the Philippines, namely the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP), are urging the government to prioritize vaccinating a sufficient percentage of the adult population before inoculating minors.

The groups emphasized that the decision to vaccinate children should consider the overall vaccine supply and the prioritization of individuals with comorbidities.

They suggest that children aged 12 and above may be considered for vaccination once a significant portion of the priority adult groups across the country has been vaccinated.

However, the PPS and PIDSP also proposed that vaccination for adolescents could begin in high-transmission areas, prioritizing those in the A3 (comorbidities) and A1 (children of frontliners) categories.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already amended the emergency use authorization for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine to include individuals aged 12 to 17.

The Department of Health (DOH) has not yet released a recommendation regarding the vaccination of children, though some local government units, like Quezon City, have already expressed their interest in including minors in the rollout.