1:39 PM MYT
MANILA (AFP): Members of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte s security team have received a Chinese-made coronavirus vaccine, officials said Monday (Dec 28) the first people in the country to be officially immunised despite no regulatory approval.
The Philippines is in talks with several pharmaceutical firms, including Britain s AstraZeneca, US company Pfizer and China s Sinopharm, to secure 60 million doses for a vaccination drive starting as early as the second quarter of 2021.
No vaccine has been approved by the country s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is required before it can be rolled out across the country of 110 million people.
But the Presidential Security Group (PSG) which is tasked with protecting Duterte said some of its personnel have already been inoculated.
FDA to investigate vaccine mystery inquirer.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from inquirer.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Malacañang Palace on November 20, 2020. TOTO LOZANO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has not yet received any vaccine shot against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Presidential Security Group (PSG) Chief Col. Jesus Durante said on Monday.
In a statement, Durante said Duterte is still waiting for a “perfect” or “appropriate” vaccine before he subjects himself to inoculation.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said he has no knowledge about whether the President has received any vaccine.
“I have no information, personal information
kung nabakunahan na po ang Presidente (if the President has been vaccinated),” he said.
Share
Catholic devotees attend a Christmas eve mass maintaining social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, outside the Quiapo church in Manila. AFP
Security team for Duterte gets unauthorised Covid-19 vaccines
Tue, 29 December 2020
Members of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s security team have received a Chinese-made coronavirus vaccine, officials said on December 28 – the first people in the country to be officially immunised despite no regulatory approval.
The Philippines is in talks with several pharmaceutical firms, including Britain’s AstraZeneca, US company Pfizer and China’s Sinopharm, to secure 60 million doses for a vaccination drive starting as early as the second quarter of next year.
(PIXABAY / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Durante confirmed that PSG troopers providing close-in security to the President have been given vaccine shots against the new coronavirus disease. He explained the vaccination drive was done “not for personal agenda” but in line with the group’s mission to protect the President.
“PSG is the primary unit of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) that is mandated to protect the nation’s highest leader. With the current pandemic, PSG needs to ensure that they are not themselves threat to the President’s health and safety. As such the PSG administered COVID-19 vaccine to its personnel performing close-in security operations to the President,” Durante said in a statement.