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MANILA, Philippines – A 50 percent efficacy rate for a coronavirus vaccine is “a joke” and “totally unacceptable,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Friday.
Zubiri made the comment after the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said that the 50 percent efficacy of China’s Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine is “acceptable” as it falls within the World Organization’s minimum requirement. of Health (WHO).
“That is why the plan to obtain vaccines with an efficacy rate of only 50% is totally unacceptable and a total waste of our funds and resources,” Zubiri said in a statement.
“That means there is a 50/50 chance that you will contract Covid even after being vaccinated, just kidding … totally unacceptable period!” added the senator.
Zubiri said the government should first consider the safety of the public and not the feelings of “neighboring friends, adding that various factors, such as safety, efficacy, price and practicality, should instead be considered in the government’s offer for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The senator said that “all of these factors must be harmonized to ensure that we deliver to our people the vaccine that is cost effective but efficient and deliverable.”
“We appeal to the leaders of our Task Force to analyze the efficacy of the vaccine rather than for political or geopolitical reasons,” Zubiri said in a statement.
“The safety of our people should come first, not the feelings of our neighbor friends,” added the senator.
LEE: COVID vaccines aimed at protecting people, not promoting the political agenda – Hontiveros
Before his vacation, the Senate formed a Plenary Committee to investigate the COVID-19 vaccination plan of the executive department.
Zubiri said hearings on the matter will begin once the Senate resumes session in January next year.
“The Senate will closely monitor the agreements made through our oversight function and we have already constituted the Committee of the Whole to hear the implementation plans of our government starting the first week of January,” said Zubiri.
“We will not allow our compatriots to receive fake vaccines and they are useless in providing protection against COVID-19,” he added.
(We will not allow our compatriots to receive ineffective vaccines against COVID-19.)
READ: ‘What’s the game plan?’ Senate to study government COVID vaccination program
JE
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