MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ drug regulator has granted emergency use authorization to the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to be used on children aged five to 11.

Food and Drug Administration director general Eric Domingo told state-run People’s Television on Thursday that local experts have found that the “data submitted is sufficient” for approval.

The approval came a week after Domingo announced Pfizer and BioNTech have submitted an application for an EUA for its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11.

“It is reasonable to believe that the vaccine may be effective to prevent COVID-19 and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks,” he said.

He added that the vaccine has an efficacy rate of 90% in children aged five to 11, while side effects of the shot in this age group are “very mild.”

Currently, the Philippines is using Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines to vaccinate minors aged 12 to 17.

With the new FDA approval, the Pfizer-BioNTech jab can be used in children aged five to 11, albeit not immediately as the dosage and concentration of the drug to be used in this age group is lower.

Domingo said this means that the Philippine government would have to procure new jabs specifically for the inoculation of children aged five to 11.

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Source: https://www.philstar.com/

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