305 PNP frontliners get Sinovac jabs

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 305 medical frontliners of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech of China.

PNP deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said 180 of their health workers received their first dose of the vaccine on Tuesday and 125 on Monday.

Three have experienced adverse side effects such as mild skin rashes, according to the PNP.

A total of 804 PNP healthcare workers are included in the list of recipients of Sinovac vaccines.

The PNP has recorded at least 11,420 cases of COVID-19 with 31 deaths. Of the number, 10,926 or 95.67 percent of the patients have recovered from the viral disease.

At least 463 police personnel are still recuperating from COVID-19 in hospitals and quarantine facilities.

Fake COVID-19 test kits seized

Meanwhile, a Chinese businesswoman and her companion were apprehended for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 rapid test kits in Navotas on Tuesday.

Liset Lo Kaw, 40, and Christian Cruz, 23, were arrested by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group during a sting in Barangay San Rafael Village, according to PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas.

Seized from the suspects were 154 boxes containing 7,700 pieces of counterfeit Clungene rapid test kits worth P1.01 million and P436,000 in marked money.

Sinas said the operation stemmed from information from the Food and Drug Administration that the suspects were allegedly selling unregistered COVID test kits on social media.

He urged the public to report suspicious transactions of medical products online.