President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his preference for the Chinese state-owned Sinpharm vaccine for his inoculation against COVID-19 according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
“He has said his preference is Sinopharm,” Roque said in his media briefing.
Sinopharm however has yet to receive or get its emergency use authorization or EUA from the Food and Drug Administration. Sinopharm has yet to apply for its approval as well.
On Monday, the FDA gave its approval for another Chinese made vaccine Sinovac.
Sinovac is now the third vaccine brand to receive the EUA from country regulators pending the government’s vaccination roll out.
“After thorough and rigorous review by our regulatory and medical experts, the FDA issues EUA to Sinovac,” FDA chief Eric Domingo said during the Laging Handa briefing.
Domingo said that Sinovac’s efficacy ranged from 65.3% to 91.2%, but only reached 50.4% among health workers with COVID-19 exposure.
“As such, it is not recommended to use in this group,” Domingo added.
“Natapos na ang huling hadlang para magamit natin ang Sinovac, inaprubahan na po ng FDA ang EUA nito,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.
Roque said that it will take three to five days before China ships the 600,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccines.
“Asahan po natin na wala nang matagal na delay,” Roque said.
The issuance of the Sinovac’s EUA comes after the delays in the delivery of the Pfizer vaccines last week due to negotiations in the indemnity agreement.
Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez has apologised for the delay in the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines. (TDT)
