DOH: 11-year-old boy gets rashes after COVID-19 jab, recovers within the day

The government's COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged 5 to 11 recorded one non-serious adverse side effect on a male child who also recovered within the day, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said Tuesday.

Cabotaje made the announcement a day after the pilot rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for children 5 to 11 years old in the National Capital Region on Monday.

"There is one non-serious adverse event on an 11-year-old male from Parañaque, namantal iyong braso at kamay after the vaccination (He had rashes on arms and hands)," Cabotaje said during the Laging Handa briefing.

"Pero naresolve rin iyong rashes nung araw na iyon (The rashes subsided within the day)," she added.

Cabotaje still urged parents and guardians to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19.

"Children can get sick with COVID-19, can get hospitalized because of it, or even die because of it. They need to be vaccinated for extra protection, so that if ever they catch the virus, it will just be a mild case or they will be asymptomatic," she pointed out.

"Clinical trials in the United States have shown this COVID-19 vaccine's efficacy rate for children is at 90.7%, and our experts agree. Children need these so they could also go outside because it would be detrimental for them if we keep them inside houses for much longer," she added.

The Philippines has 780,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 so far, but this supply is expected to reach five million doses by the end of February.

First day vaccination

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said a total of 9,784 minors aged 5 to 11 were vaccinated in 32 sites during the first day of the rollout.

At present, 43 sites are rolling out the pediatric vaccination.

Vergeire said the government is seeking to inoculate 15.5 million children with around 500,000 having been registered for vaccination in four regions.

"Nais po namin magpasalamat dahil maliban sa proteksyong hatid niyo sa inyong mga anak, karagdagang proteksyon po ito para sa inyong mga kapamilya at mga komunidad na kinakabilangan," she said at a media briefing.

(We want to express our gratitude because aside from the protection this gives your children, this is additional protection for your family and community.)

Vergeire also announced that more than 9.2 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

She said there were no reported deaths. However, the government has recorded cases of myocarditis and pericarditis that are being investigated.

At present, only 0.3% of the vaccinated adolescents experienced mild reactions such as pain at the injection site and headaches.

Among the 8.7 minors aged 5 to 11 vaccinated globally, 97.5% did not manifest reactions, 2.4% had mild reactions, while only 0.00013% experienced myocarditis and pericarditis but have fully recovered. —AOL/RSJ, GMA News