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MANILA: Some Philippine soldiers and cabinet ministers have already received COVID-19 vaccine injections, officials said on Monday (Dec. 28), despite the absence of regulatory approval that the country’s Health Ministry said was vital to ensure. safety.
Interior Minister Eduardo Ano said that some members of the cabinet have already received COVID-19 vaccines and the chief of the army, Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, said that some troops have been vaccinated, but that the number was not large. None said which brand of vaccine was administered.
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The Health Ministry said in a statement that all vaccines must first be evaluated by experts and that “only vaccines that have been approved and deemed safe should be administered.”
The Director of the Food and Drug Administration, Rolando Enrique Domingo, said that Philippine regulators have not yet approved any COVID-19 vaccine, making the importation, distribution and sale of one illegal.
Domingo warned the public that unapproved vaccines exposed them to “all kinds of dangers” and told CNN Philippines that side effects were possible “especially if you don’t know how these things have been handled.”
So far, only Pfizer has applied for emergency use approval of its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, while the late-phase trial applications of Sinovac, Gamaleya, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen and Clover have yet to be approved.
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The Undersecretary of Health, María Rosario Vergeire, said that the ministry had no information on the vaccination of the soldiers and the military spokesman, Colonel Edgard Arévalo, said that there was no vaccination sanctioned by the leadership of the armed forces.
The Presidential Security Group (PSG), which is tasked with protecting Duterte, said some of its staff have already been inoculated.
“The PSG administered the COVID-19 vaccine to its personnel who carried out security operations close to the president,” said the head of the unit, Brigadier General Jesús Durante, in a statement, without specifying how many received the drug.
Duterte has not been vaccinated, according to his spokesman, Harry Roque, who said he had no problem with soldiers receiving the vaccines and protecting themselves.
During a televised meeting with health officials on Saturday, Duterte said “almost all” the soldiers have already been vaccinated.
He said “many”, without identifying who, in the Philippines had received a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).
Sinopharm could not immediately be reached for comment.
When asked if the president’s office authorized the vaccination of the soldiers, Sobejana said: “Well, of course, our president is our commander-in-chief.”
Roque said Monday that the Sinopharm drug was delivered to the soldiers, confirming Duterte’s comments at the weekend that “a select few” had been inoculated with the Chinese vaccine.
He downplayed concerns about the safety of the Sinopharm drug, saying it was meant to send a message of hope to Filipinos.
“The news is that the vaccine is already here and if we cannot receive Western vaccines, our friend and neighbor China is willing to give us vaccines,” Roque said.
“It is not prohibited by law to be vaccinated with an unregistered (vaccine). What is illegal is the distribution and sale.”
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