Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 27) — The Philippine government is set to allow the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 12 to 15 years, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
FDA Director General Eric Domingo made the pronouncement in a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte and other officials, saying the agency will issue within the week an amendment to the emergency use authorization granted to Pfizer in January.
“Within the week po we will be issuing an amendment to the emergency use authorization of Pfizer, and we will be able to use it in children, 12 to 15 year olds,” Domingo said during public address.
Domingo revealed that the American manufacturer applied for the EUA amendment on May 20, in a bid to cover the said age group. He added that local experts studying the application so far had “favorable” recommendations.
“Yung atin pong mga experts ay in-evaluate (Our experts are evaluating this). In fact, early this evening, I already got the recommendations of our experts and [they were] very favorable,” the FDA chief noted.
The development comes after the US Food and Drug Administration earlier this month also expanded its EUA for Pfizer’s vaccine to include those aged 12 to 15 years old in America.
Here in the Philippines, Pfizer’s vaccine is currently only allowed for use for people aged 16 and up.
The Philippines earlier this month received 193,000 Pfizer doses— a donation from the global COVAX facility— which have been rolled out in some major cities including in Metro Manila. The country is also expecting the arrival of a bulk shipment of the vaccine brand — around 2.2 million doses — this second quarter.
