Philippines Approves Chinese Jab But Health Workers To Miss Out

Sumaira FH Published February 22, 2021 | 05:42 PM

The Philippines' drug regulator gave emergency approval Monday to the Chinese-made Sinovac coronavirus vaccine, with the first doses set to arrive this week -- but health workers will not get the jab due to its comparatively low efficacy

Manila, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Feb, 2021 ) :The Philippines' drug regulator gave emergency approval Monday to the Chinese-made Sinovac coronavirus vaccine, with the first doses set to arrive this week -- but health workers will not get the jab due to its comparatively low efficacy.

CoronaVac is the third vaccine approved for emergency use in the country, but so far none have been delivered and President Rodrigo Duterte's government is under fire over the delayed rollout.

Beijing has agreed to donate 600,000 doses, which will arrive in the next three to five days, officials said -- despite misgivings over its safety and effectiveness.

"It is decided... that the benefit of using the vaccine outweighs the known and potential risks," said Eric Domingo, head of the food and Drug Administration.

The CoronaVac can be given to "clinically healthy" adults aged 18 to 59, but was not recommended for frontline health workers or the elderly, he said.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said workers considered essential to the economy and soldiers were likely to receive the first jabs.

Although trials in Turkey found CoronaVac to be 91.25 percent effective, other, more robust trials in Brazil only demonstrated an efficacy rate of around 50 percent.

Roque defended the push to use the Sinovac vaccine, saying "it's better than not having protection at all." Many world leaders have been among the first in their countries to receive jabs to boost public confidence.

But Duterte preferred to wait for a different Chinese vaccine made by state-owned Sinopharm, Roque said, citing the president's old age.

The Sinopharm vaccine was secretly given to members of Duterte's security team last year even though it had not been approved for use.