Among minors, mostly infants and teens contract COVID, says DOH

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said several Filipino children caught COVID-19, and cases were high among infants and teenagers. "Ang matatas na bilang po ng nagkakaroon ay less than 2-years old," Health spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press conference. (There are high cases among children less than 12-years old.) "Pagdating ng 15-19-years old doon natin nakikita na mas mataas kumpara sa ibang age groups," she said. The DOH was however yet to release the actual number of Filipino minors who contracted the virus. (When it comes to 15-19-years old, we see higher cases compared to other age groups.) The information comes days after the national government allowed minors to go to outdoor spaces in areas under general community quarantine and modified general community quarantine. The policy was enforced after Health officials and experts found that restrictions in activities have negatively affected children who have been forced to stay indoors since last year. "May science and evidence na lumalabas na ang mga kabataan ay affected na ng mga lockdown," Vergeire said. (There is science and evidence that shows that the youth is affected by the lockdown.) "Nagkakaroon na sila ng issues... Naha-hamper 'yung kanilang development stages because of the lockdown," she said. (They are having issues. Their development stages are hampered because of the lockdown.) While the government has allowed minors to go outdoors, this does not mean that they are exempted from public health protocols, the Health spokesperson said. "Kahit po natin pinayagan ang mga kabataan na lumabas, kailangan mayroon pa rin safety protocols, she said. "Kailangan naka-mask, binabantayan..hindi pupunta sa matataong lugar, maintain your bubble," she said. (Even if we have allowed them to go outside, there still needs to be safety protocols. They need to wear masks, they have to be supervised... They cannot go to crowded places, maintain your bubble.) Children have yet to be included in the government's priority recipients of COVID-19 vaccines, but in June, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for minors as young as 12 years old. The FDA is also reviewing the application of Sinovac to amend its emergency use authorization (EUA) so that its COVID-19 vaccine can be used on children aged 3 to 17. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) earlier said pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna are preparing to seek Emergency Use Authorizations for their COVID-19 vaccines to be administered to children. Pfizer is "targeting around September of this year," while Moderna said they might already have child-friendly vaccines by the end of the year, said Dr. Nina Gloriani, head of the DOST's vaccine expert panel.

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