Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 9) — The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday said there are no indications a specific COVID-19 vaccine brand results in more breakthrough cases compared to others.
FDA chief Eric Domingo reported that 242 or 0.0017% of the 13.87 million fully vaccinated individuals had breakthrough infections five months since the vaccination program started.
Data as of Aug. 29 sent to the FDA and international platform VigiFlow showed there were 180 COVID-19 infections among the 6.86 million who completed their Sinovac shots. Forty-seven breakthrough infections were recorded in the 2.03 million who got their two doses of AstraZeneca. For the single-dose Janssen, 11 breakthrough cases were tallied among the 3.56 million who received this brand. Four cases were also reported among the 1.23 million who got their two Pfizer doses.
Four breakthrough deaths were also reported for Sinovac and one for Janssen. Domingo said these five cases are senior citizens.
There were no reported breakthrough cases in those who received Moderna and Sputnik V shots. Those who were given Sinopharm have not yet completed their vaccinations.
“The pattern is very similar for all of them,” Domingo said in a media forum. “The data, statistically, looks very similar for all vaccines.”
Domingo said there are understandably more breakthrough cases for Sinovac since it was the first brand to be rolled out and it is the brand that is administered the most in the country.
A breakthrough case is described by health officials as someone found with SARS-CoV-2 in their system 14 days after completing their single- or two-dose COVID-19 vaccine. It takes the body 14 days to significantly build antibodies after receiving the shots.
Despite the breakthrough infections, Domingo said all the vaccines available in the country remain effective in protecting a person against severe COVID-19 infection and even death. He added there is no vaccine brand that offers 100% protection, so the public must continue to adhere to minimum public health standards.
“Kaya nga kung ikaw ay pipili, tataya ka pa rin doon sa bakuna dahil nakikita natin na meron siyang protective effect. Iba talaga ang mga numero sa nabakunahan compared sa general population,” Domingo said.
[Translation: If you were to choose, you should still get vaccinated because we see that it has a protective effect. The number of infections greatly varies in those vaccinated and the general population (who are still unvaccinated).]
“It will not work 100% for everyone, but it does work for the great majority,” he added.
Domingo also said there is no proof yet that Sinovac’s efficacy wanes after six months since it was only rolled out in the country last March. He said a clearer picture may be seen in the data that will come in October.
“Out of 6 to 7 million, very low pa rin ang breakthrough and mortalities. Five months after, hindi convincing na may waning,” he noted.
[Translation: Out of the 6-7 million vaccinated with Sinovac, the breakthrough cases and mortalities remain very low. After five months, the data isn’t convincing that its efficacy is waning.]
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante earlier shared a study in Thailand which showed that while the efficacy of Sinovac vaccine against the original coronavirus strain is 98.33%, it went down to 75% for the Alpha variant and 70% for the Beta variant. The vaccine’s level of protection against the feared Delta variant dropped further to 48.33% six months after receiving the second dose.
