Sinovac’s COVID-19 Vaccine Still Can’t be Used for Minors in The Philippines

The Philippine’s food and drug administration is studying wether or not sinovacs covid 19 vaccine can be used for children aged 3-17.

This comes after Sinovac’s submitted a request amend its emergency use authorization to allow its vaccine to be administered to kids.

During a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night, July 6, FDA Director General Eric Domingo says Sinovac wants to include children aged 3-17 in its EUA. Domingo says the Country’s vaccine experts may come up with a final decision on Sinovac’s request within the month of July.

China allowed the use of the Sinovac vaccine among kids in early June, with the company saying the jab successfully triggered an immune response among the age group with only mild adverse reactions reported.

While China claims that Sinovac Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine has shown high efficacy when used on minors, its prospect of being administered to Filipino children and adolescents remains under government review

If approved, the Sinovac vaccine would be the second COVID-19 vaccine to be allowed for use among children in the Philippines. In early June, the FDA already allowed the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine among 12- to 15-year-olds.

Should you get the COVID vaccine?

Fortunately, the way vaccines are developed and regulated these days, means we have a pretty good handle on how effective they are. All the evidence on covid vaccines so far indicates that they are as effective as they need to be for reducing infections, or reducing the severity of the impact if you do become infected.

Vaccines don’t have to 100% effective if we are to develop herd immunity—just effective enough. But this only works if everyone takes their responsibility to be part of the COVID solution seriously.

If you are worried about getting the COVID vaccine, or are concerned about the safety of the coronavirus vaccine, it’s one of the most important ways you can help protect those you love, and help us all get back to something approaching normal.