Specially formulated Pfizer vaccines for young kids might arrive by the end of January 2022

(Eagle News) – Vaccines to be used for the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 could be delivered before the end of the month but the vaccination of this age group could experience delays, according to vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.

Galvez, the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said that the vaccines for minors of this age group, apart from being limited to just one brand, needs a ‘different formulation.’

“Iyong ginagamit po natin sa mga bata ay only limited brands and will create shortage during the first quarter. Sa 5-11 years old po, iba po ang formulation po nito and it will delay ‘yung vaccination for minors kasi iisa lang po ang mayroon po tayong children formulation,” he said during

President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People on January 10.

The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved Pfizer BioNTech’s nucleoside-modified Comirnaty with the brand name Tozinameran. It requires a dosage of only 10 micrograms per dose. This is different from the requirement for minors aged 12 to 17 years old of 30 micrograms per dose.

-17 million more vaccine doses to be purchased for jabs for 26 million minors-

Galvez said that the Philippine government needs to separately procure this particular formulation of Pfizer vaccines for children aged 5 to 11. He said that 17 million doses of vaccines needs to be purchased this year for jabs for the 26 million minors — those from aged 5 to 17.

The vaccine czar said that the country’s current stockpile of 100 million vaccine doses is not enough for the vaccination of minors aged 5 to 11, and for the boosters of those aged 12 to 17.

The 100 million doses is only enough for the primary series vaccination of the remaining 25 million unvaccinated who are part of the eligible population for this quarter, including booster shots.

“Though ‘yung 100 million doses na nasa stockpile po natin, mahal na Presidente, ay sapat sa remaining primary series ng unvaccinated at para sa 25 million na eligible ngayong quarter for boosters,” Galvez said.

“Kailangan pa rin po nating bumili ng more or less 17 million for this year’s boosters and requirements po ng mga 26 million na pambata na pormulasyon,” he stressed.

He said that the Pfizer vaccines formulated for kids aged 5 to 11 “might be available by the end of January.”

He said that they are also contacting manufacturers for the acquisition of doses in case children aged 0 to 4 could already be vaccinated.

-Contingencies for vaccination of 0-4 age group also prepared-

“Iyong children formulation na 5-11 years might be available by the end of January. Ito po ‘yung last ano po namin contact po namin sa ating mga manufacturer and we are now making some contingencies to acquire doses that we need to include the ages 0-4 years old,” Galvez told President Duterte.

Galvez said that based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there are around 15.56 million children aged 5 to 11 which need to vaccinated this year.

In the US, the difference of the vaccine formation for children is made with the use of different color of vaccine lids or caps – purple for minors aged 12 to 17, and orange for those aged 5 to 11.

The Philippines aims to vaccinate 90 million Filipinos by the end of June 2022.

Galvez said that also target to provide 72.16 million boosters for adult population ages from 18 years old and above; vaccinate 12.74 million or 12-17 years old with boosters; vaccinate the 15.56 million children aged 5 to 11 with boosters; and to vaccinate 11.11 million of the 0-4 year-old age group with the vaccine primary series.

(Eagle News Service)