Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) — Will President Rodrigo Duterte get his COVID-19 shots from Western vaccines that will first arrive in the country? For Malacañang, only his physician can decide.
“Let’s just say this issue will have to be discussed by the President with his physician,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his government briefing on Tuesday.
“He is, of course, under the advice of his physician,” Roque added.
Roque previously claimed the government is “ready” to launch its COVID-19 vaccine drive next Tuesday, February 15, with health workers as first priority under the government’s immunization plan.
The first 117,000 doses that will arrive next week will come from the vaccine developed by US drugmaker Pfizer and German firm BioNTech, which is set to arrive via the COVAX facility, a global platform led by the World Health Organization that aims to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines.
The Philippines is also expecting access to up to 9.2 million doses from British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca by late February or early March — if the WHO includes it in the emergency use listing, a procedure done to review its eligibility prior to its delivery.
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Roque himself said in the past that Duterte will be among the first to receive a vaccine as he falls under the senior citizen category. However, the latter has narrowed down his options to get his COVID-19 shots from brands that either come from China or Russia, and if it were possible, he would like to get a dose from both countries.
Only vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca were so far granted Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in the country.
