LESS than 24 hours after he said that he would return 1,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines in view of criticisms hurled against him, a top Palace official hinted at President Rodrigo Duterte as taking the same brand to complete the dose required to make him immune from the virus.
According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Duterte would be administered with the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine that was kept just for him.
Interestingly, Roque said that the dose he is referring to doesn’t form part of the 1,000 doses of Sinopharm jabs which he earlier ordered for shipment back to China.
“Hindi ibabalik ang second dose ni Presidente para matapos niya ‘yung second dose,” Roque said during a press briefing.
Duterte ordered shipping back the donation over nasty remarks questioning him on receiving a jab that isn’t even covered by emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The dose Duterte received was covered only by a compassionate special permit that allows only the Presidential Security Group (PSG) hospital to administer Sinopharm vaccine shots.
The President, he added, remains open to the idea of inoculating Filipinos using the Sinopharm vaccine in the event the FDA grants EUA for the use of the China-made Sinopharm doses.
He declined to answer why Duterte chose the Sinopharm vaccine amid a position taken by the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts which gave a “low confidence” assessment.
“That’s for his doctors to answer, that’s why the President said to just give it back and let the EUA process continue.”
Sinopharm has yet to file an application for an emergency use authorization.