MALACAÑANG is confident that reports about the death of doctors in Indonesia vaccinated with the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine will not slow down the rate of vaccination in the Philippines. "Hindi po [makakaapekto] kasi, unang-una, ang Sinovac po ay aprubado hindi lang ng Philippine FDA (Food and Drug Administration), aprubado rin po iyan ng WHO (It will not affect our vaccination efforts because first, the Sinovac vaccine is approved not just by the FDA but also by the WHO)," Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said during Monday's briefing. Roque appealed to the public to take the authorities' word that all vaccine brands being administered in the country are safe and effective in preventing severe cases of Covid-19. There were reports that 26 doctors in Indonesia died of Covid-19 this month and at least 10 of them received two doses of the Sinovac vaccine, CoronaVac. The Philippines has administered over 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines since it began nationwide inoculation last March.

Source: Manila Times June 28, 2021 16:18 UTC