SINOVAC is still awaiting experts’ recommendation before it can be administered to children aged 6 to 17, the Food and Drug Administration said.

The FDA on March 11 granted Sinovac an emergency use authorization for children.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said all necessary documents have been submitted to the Health Technology Assessment Council.

HTAC is an independent advisory body created under the Universal Health Care Act.

“In the meantime, hanggang ‘di pa lumalabas ang evaluation ng ating mga eksperto hindi pa makakapag-issue ng guidelines ang DOH at ‘yan ang last step na meron tayo,” Vergeire said.

She noted that administering Sinovac to children can only start once the DOH issues implementation guidelines.

Unlike the Pfizer vaccine which must be formulated, she said the same Sinovac dose formulation used on adults will be used on minors.

A study in Chile that involved 1.9 million kids aged six to 17 indicated that Sinovac’s efficacy is at about 74 percent.

The research also revealed that minors who had contracted Covid19 but had been inoculated with Sinovac avoided hospitalization with an average batting rate of 90 percent, while the brand’s efficacy in preventing intensive care unit hospitalization and death was at 100 percent.

The government has used Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for minors. It aims to vaccinate more than 39 million youngsters aged 17 and below.