MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte finally received his first dose of the vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III personally administered Duterte’s shot last night at the Malacañang Palace.
“I feel good,” Duterte said in a Facebook Live video by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go after receiving the vaccine.
“I have been expecting this shot…vaccination a long time ago,” Duterte added.
Go later told the media that Duterte’s inoculation of the Sinopharm vaccine had prior consultation and blessing of the chief executive’s doctors.
The 76-year-old Duterte, who has underlying health issues, belongs to groups vulnerable of developing severe symptoms of the respiratory disease.
Duterte previously said he preferred to receive Sinopharm vaccine since he is ineligible for the CoronaVac – another China-made vaccine – because he was a senior citizen.
The use of Sinovac for senior citizens was eventually given the green light but Duterte still pushed for his preference.
Sinopharm’s application for an emergency use authorization (EUA) is still pending before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after it was filed in March.
A vaccine needs to secure an EUA from the FDA for it to be legally administered in the Philippines.
The FDA, however, can grant a compassionate use permit on a vaccine, the same permit given to Sinopharm when it was injected on members of the Presidential Security Group./PN
