Flu vaccines in Philippines 'safe,' DOH assures public
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos should not worry about getting flu shots as influenza vaccines in the country are safe, the Department of Health said Friday.
The DOH made the assurance after Singapore halted the use of two influenza vaccines as a precautionary measure.
In a briefing, Beverly Ho, director of the agency’s health promotion and communication service, said the Philippines regularly conducts surveillance of flu vaccines.
“As of this time, there’s no reported AEFI (adverse events following immunization) with flu vaccine in the country,” Ho said.
Singapore suspended the use of flu vaccines SKYCellflu Quadrivalent and VaxigripTetra as a precaution after some people who received them in South Korea died, Reuters reported. But South Korea said it has no found direct link between the deaths and the shots and it would push through with its immunization program.
“The [Food and Drug Administration] has also checked the lots and batches that are being investigated in Korea and Singapore and none are found here,” Ho said.
“Flu vaccines are safe and the national immunization program of the DOH will continue to push through,” she added.
Health experts are urging people to get flu shots as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on.
FDA Director General Eric Domingo said the demand for flu vaccines increased to “protect everybody from the seasonal flu and pneumonia.”
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