Consent required for Covid-19 vaccination of minors: DOH

MANILA – Select hospitals that are part of the pilot Covid-19 vaccination for minors in the National Capital Region (NCR) are required to seek consent from parents or guardians and the child before proceeding with inoculation, a health official reiterated Friday.

In a virtual presser, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said these adolescents—from ages 12 to 17—will only receive vaccines that have been given emergency use authority (EUA) by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the “pediatric population.”

“Ito po ay gagawin muna sa ating mga ospital kung saan meron po tayong mga doktor at mga pediatricians na maaaring sumuri sa mga bata (This will only be administered in hospitals where we have doctors and pediatricians who can look after them),” Vergeire said.

Before vaccination, she said there would be a screening and orientation on the vaccination, its benefits, risks, and possible side effects for the parents or guardians and their children.

“Hindi po itutuloy ang pagbabakuna kung sa pagsusuri ng doktor ay hindi pwede tumanggap ng bakuna ang bata o kaya ayaw ng magulang o ng bata na mababakunahan (Vaccination will not proceed if the doctor finds that the child cannot be immunized or if the parents or the child do not want to),” Vergeire said.

READ: Children’s vaccination begins; regional rollout eyed within Oct.

After their immunization, they would be monitored for 15 minutes or 30 minutes if they have a history of asthma, she added.

Aside from having comorbidities, she said these adolescents would need to be part of the master list or are registered with partner hospitals for vaccination.

They are also required to present a medical certificate from their doctor detailing their sickness or comorbidity, a document proving the minor’s affiliation with their parents or guardians, and valid IDs of the minor and their parents or guardian.

“Kailangan may kasamang magulang o guardian ang ating mga kabataan kapag sila ay babakunahan na (Our minors will need to be accompanied by their parent or guardian when it’s their turn to get vaccinated),” Vergeire said.

The initial vaccination rollout of minors began Friday in eight select hospitals in the NCR.

Earlier, the DOH said the vaccination would depend on the availability of Pfizer and Moderna jabs —the only Covid-19 vaccine brands that have been issued with a EUA by the FDA for minors.

The hospitals that have been selected for the pilot vaccination of minors include the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke’s Medical Center (Bonifacio Global City), and Makati Medical Center.