ILOILO City – Seventeen children positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are in various hospitals here. Mayor Jerry Treñas has expressed alarm.
In one hospital, 11 coronavirus patients are youngsters below 18 years old. The youngest is a one-year-old.
As of Aug. 17, four newborn children were staying in quarantine facilities – mostly due to their parents infected with COVID-19, reported the city’s Quarantine Facility Management Office.
Two children aged seven and 11 were also suspected cases of the Delta variant of the virus causing COVID-19, Treñas said. They are currently isolated.
“Some of us may have immunity against the deadly virus but we may have family members who are vulnerable,” Treñas said.
A 10-year-old boy from Jaro district died of COVID-19 on Aug. 16.
Iloilo City COVID team spokesperson Jeck Conlu said they were yet to establish where the child contracted the virus.
The boy initially had fever and was brought to a hospital. He underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test and yielded a positive result. The kid had a comorbidity.
The city may start vaccinating children, Treñas said.
The Food and Drug Administration has so far given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Pfizer vaccine for those aging 12 years old and above.
Sinovac has also sought FDA’s approval for its use on children three years old and above.
“Pfizer was given permission to be inoculated to those aged 12 to 17, but due to the inadequacy of the supply, we cannot start the rollout,” said Treñas.
Earlier, the mayor directed the City Population Office to identify kids aged 12 to 17 year olds and secure their parents’ consent for possible inclusion in the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.
The national government mulled inoculating minors, with National Inter-Agency Task Force chairman and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez saying they may commence adolescent vaccination by end-September or October depending on supplies and go signal from experts.
For the meantime, Treñas reminded the public to continue following the minimum public health standards even if already vaccinated to protect the elderly and children not yet vaccinated./PN
