THE PHILIPPINE Food and Drug Administration expects Pfizer-BioNTech to apply for emergency use authorization of its vaccine on children aged 5 to 11, a medical expert said.

“Nagpahiwatig na ang Pfizer sa Philippine FDA. Mukhang mag-a-apply ang Pfizer para doon sa category ng mga batang iyan,” Dr. Ted Herbosa, medical adviser of the National Task Force Against Covid19, said.

“Kailangan ding tutukan ng ating IATF at ang kanilang mga adviser kung talagang beneficial bang ibigay ito sa mga Pilipinong bata,” he pointed out.

Herbosa said that medical experts have endorsed the inoculation of children against Covid19.

He said that there have been cases of children suffering from long Covid19 and whose hearts and lungs weakened.

“Ang mga bata, very mild ang kanilang symptoms ng Covid19. Pero mayroong mga bata na nagsa-suffer din ng mga multi-organ syndrome na na-ICU din at may mga namamatay rin  lalo na kung may comorbidity iyong mga bata,” he explained.

Earlier this month, the US FDA approved Pfizer Covid19 jabs for children below 12 years old.

The government hopes to vaccinate children below 12 years old against Covid19 next year.