(File photo)
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reported a rise in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases among children aged 5 years old and below.
"Bagamat nakikita natin na bumababa na ang bilang ng kaso sa iba't ibang age groups, tumaas naman ang kaso ng mga kabataang mas bata sa lima kung ikukumpara noong nagkaroon ng Delta situation (While we see that the number of cases in different age groups is declining, the number among children aged five and below has increased compared to when we had the Delta situation)," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing.
Her presentation showed that some 632 kids in this age group were infected with coronavirus from January 24 to 30, higher than the 554 seven-day moving average recorded during the peak in September.
There is a decline in the number of cases among 60 years old and above, but a general increase is observed in the infection in the pediatric age group, she said.
"Gayunpaman, hindi tayo dapat mangamba dahil patuloy ang DOH sa paggawa at pagpapatupad ng measures at protocols para mapigilan pa ang paglaganap ng virus (Despite that, there's no need to worry because we at the DOH continue to craft and implement measures and protocols to prevent the spread of the virus)," she said.
She then urged parents and guardians to get their children inoculated as soon as possible.
Children aged 5 to 11 years old may start getting their Covid-19 vaccine on February 4 as the DOH rolls out the inoculation in pilot vaccination sites in Metro Manila.
These include the Philippine Heart Center, National Children's Hospital, Philippine Children's Medical Center, Fil Oil Gym in San Juan City, Manila Zoo, and SM North Edsa.
By February 5, the rollout would expand to five sites in Region 3 (Central Luzon), two in Region 4-A (Calabarzon), and 38 others in the National Capital Region, including SM Megamall.
Vergeire emphasized that vaccines are free, safe, and effective for all age groups, including children.
"Maigi pong pinag-aralan ng mga experto ang formula ng bakuna para sa 5 to 11 years old at sinisigurado ng gobyerno na ito ay ligtas at hindi magdudulot ng anumang malubhang epekto o nakakasamang side effect (Our experts carefully studied the formula for 5 to 11 years old and the government assures everyone that this is safe and won't cause harmful side effect)," she said.
She noted that adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) are "rare occurrences" among vaccinated children but mild reactions, such as headache, pain in the injections sites can be expected.
Citing the latest global data on vaccines, Vergeire said only 0.00013 percent or 11 out of the 8.1 million vaccinated children around the world experienced myocarditis and none were from the Philippines.
"Napakaliit na porsyento po ito, napaka-rare na mangyari (This is a very small percentage and very rare),” she said.
She also emphasized the absence of data suggesting vaccines causes death.
Vaccination, on the other hand, reduces by 91 percent the risk of getting multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare but serious complication of Covid-19 in school-age minors.
Around the world, about 95 percent of children hospitalized with MIS-C were unvaccinated, Vergeire shared.
"These are rare adverse events following immunization only, but still can be resolved. Majority of reported AEFIs in the Philippines are mild and usually disappear in just a few hours," she said. (PNA)
