Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the Chinese Embassy to take back 1,000 donated Sinopharm vaccines, after he was criticised for taking an unapproved vaccine, BBC reported today. In response, Mr Duterte said China should in future only send Sinovac vaccines – a separate Chinese vaccine which is in use in the Philippines. Mr Duterte said he only got the Sinopharm shot under a compassionate use clause, and that his doctors had advised him to get vaccinated. “Don’t follow my footsteps,” Mr Duterte said, according to local media reports. He also accepted criticism that the use of the unapproved vaccine was risky, saying: “We are sorry.

Source: The Nation May 07, 2021 07:10 UTC