Sinovac exec says vaccines may arrive this week

MANILA, Philippines — With the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) having issued emergency use authorization (EUA), Sinovac Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccines may arrive in the Philippines within the week, Sinovac general manager Helen Yang said yesterday.

“After we have the EUA issuance, we cleared everything from the approval side and now we need to complete the schedule of delivery and custom procedures that would normally take a few days,” she explained.

Yang also said the company is “in close communication” with the Chinese embassy regarding the delivery of 600,000 doses.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Duterte is ready to personally welcome the first batch of 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines to show the administration’s utmost gratitude to China.

“That has no effect on other issues we have in our bilateral relations with China. The President is just thankful because in challenging times, China delivered,” Roque said.

“It’s not bad that we show gratitude. Filipinos, in general, are grateful to others, not ingrates,” he added.

Roque also urged Vice President Leni Robredo to join him and some members of the Cabinet to be among the first ones to get the vaccine to boost public confidence on the vaccination program of the government.

“If she likes it, the Vice President is welcome to join also,” Roque said, taking up the challenge of Robredo who also questioned why the President was initially planning to keep his inoculation out of the public eye.

Not prohibited

Meanwhile, FDA director general Eric Domingo clarified that although they don’t recommend it, health care workers can get the China-made jabs if they want to.

At a public briefing, Domingo said Sinovac is not recommended for health workers because the efficacy rate for medical frontliners is “a little lower in this group” at 50.4 percent, based on clinical trials in Brazil.

But efficacy rate rises from 65.3 to 91.2 percent if administered to healthy individuals aged 18 to 59.

The Palace is abiding by the FDA guidance that Sinovac should not be injected to the priority sector – medical frontline workers. Instead, Roque said Sinovac will be offered to economic frontliners aged between 18 to 59 years old, and members of the Armed Forces. — Cristina Mendez