GOVT-PROCURED JABS. Assistant Secretary Wilben Mayor (left), head of strategic communications on current operations of the National Task Force against Covid-19, and US Embassy Political Counselor Edward Vincent O’Bryan place the Resbakuna sticker on the shipment containing 859,950 doses of the government-procured Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine that arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Monday (Dec. 13, 2021). Mayor said the new shipment of Pfizer will be used to boost the pediatric vaccination program. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
MANILA – The Pfizer BioNTech company has applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) allowing the administration of its coronavirus jabs for children 5 to 11 years old in the Philippines, National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., announced Monday night.
Galvez, also the vaccine czar, said Pfizer has officially requested an amendment to its EUA by allowing the use of its vaccine for Filipinos under 5 to 11 age bracket.
"We will be expecting more or less na (that) before the end of the year ay mayroon na po itong EUA (the EUA will be approved)," Galvez told President Rodrigo Duterte during his prerecorded Talk to the People.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Eric Domingo earlier said the country's vaccine experts are now evaluating Pfizer's application.
Domingo said no other vaccine manufacturer has submitted a similar application.
Once approved, Galvez said the vaccination of kids under this age bracket may start by the first quarter of next year.
The government targets to vaccinate at least 80 percent of the total population of children 12 to 17 years old, by end of this year.
The United States' FDA has authorized the use of Pfizer jabs for kids 5 to 11 years old on October 29. (PNA)
