COVID-free Christmas still possible, Palace says | Inquirer News

COVID-free Christmas still possible, Palace says

/ 01:32 PM August 13, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — A Christmas season free of the scourge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a possibility this year, Malacañang said Thursday as it admitted that there are other vaccines currently being developed elsewhere in the world that are ahead of Russia’s Sputnik-V.

“Pwede po (ang COVID-19-free Christmas) dahil ang alam ko po ‘yung sa Tsina, sa Oxford at sa Amerika nasa 3rd Phase na po sila ng clinical trial,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier announced Moscow has approved and registered a vaccine for COVID-19, the disease that has already infected over 20 million people worldwide.

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President Duterte expressed confidence on the effectiveness of Russia’s vaccine, which he said will be ready by December, when “the Philippines will be free of COVID-19 and will be able to enjoy a peaceful Christmas.”

However, Russia’s vaccine is expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for public use by April 2021, four months short of Duterte’s projection.

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The Philippines is set to conduct Phase 3 of clinical trials of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine from October 2020 to March 2021.

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During Phase 3 of the clinical trials, tens of thousands of patients will have to be vaccinated to test its safety and efficacy.

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TAGS: Christmas season, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health, NcoV, Outbreak, pandemic, Philippines

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