MANILA - Only one out of nearly 10,000 children aged 5 to 11 experienced an adverse reaction following COVID-19 vaccination on Monday, the Department of Health said.

• Almost 10,000 kids ages 5-11 jabbed against COVID: DOH

The 11-year-old child had rashes on his arms, was given anti-allergy medication onsite and was later sent home after the reaction was managed, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

"Nung nag-subside ang rashes, siya ay pinauwi. 'Yun lang po ang nakuha nating report. Very minor reaction. Only 1 out of those who were vaccinated," Vergeire told reporters Tuesday.

(When his rashes subsided, he was sent home. That's the only report we got, a very minor reaction. Only 1 out of those who were vaccinated.)

This mirrors what is being reported in other countries, said Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, a pediatrician and a member of the DOH technical advisory group.

• Majority of kids age 5 to 11 experienced minor injection site pain after COVID jab: doctor

"Majority of reactions experienced are really classified as mild. And yung ating binabantayan na mas matitinding reaction happened to a very small proportion of people. Hindi sa binabalewala natin 'yun. Pero ang bottomline ulit d'yan is ang hinahabol talaga natin ay mabigyan ng proteksyon ang tatanggap ng bakuna," she said.

(Majority of reactions experienced are really classified as mild. And the severe adverse reactions we're looking out for happened to a very small proportion of people. It's not that we're brushing it aside. But the bottomline is we want to give protection to those who will receive the vaccine.)

"Kung mayroon tayong paraan para makaiwas sa sakit, bakit 'di natin pakinabangan?"

(If we have a way to avoid the disease, why should we not take advantage of it?)

A total of 9,784 were given COVID-19 jabs on the first day of the expanded pediatric vaccination, which aims to immunize 15.56 million children aged 5 to 11, according to Vergeire.

Some 500,000 children belonging to the same age group have registered for vaccination, while more than 9.2 million children aged 12 to 17 have been vaccinated in the country with no deaths reported, she said.

The agency has received reports of at least one myocarditis and one pericarditis adverse reactions among children aged 12-17 and is looking into these, she added.

Only Sinovac has applied for emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 3 to 17, according to Vergeire.

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Meantime, an 11-year-old child who received a COVID-19 vaccine for adults, or those with a purple or gray cap, may get their second dose according to their age, Vergeire and Ong-Lim said.

"'Di na kailangan ulitin pa dose na natanggap niya. Ano na ba ang edad ng batang ito ngayon, kung 11 years old, orange cap pa rin ang ibibigay. The age-appropriate dose should be given," Ong-Lim said.

(There is no need for the same dose to be given again. What age is this child now, if they're still 11 years old, orange cap will be given.)