Zubiri: 50% COVID vaccine efficacy rate is ‘a joke, totally unacceptable’

MANILA, Philippines — An efficacy rate of 50 percent for a vaccine against coronavirus is “a joke” and “totally unacceptable,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Friday.

Zubiri made the remark after the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said that the 50 percent efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine of China’s Sinovac Biotech is “acceptable” as it is within the World Health Organization’s (WHO) minimum requirement.

“That’s why the plan to get vaccines with only a 50% efficacy rate is totally unacceptable and a total waste of our funds and resources,” Zubiri said in a statement.

“Thats means there’s a 50/50 chance of you getting Covid even after being vaccinated is a joke… Totally unacceptable period!!” the senator added.

Zubiri said the government should consider first the safety of the public and not the feelings of “neighboring friends, adding that several factors—such as safety, efficacy, pricing, and practicality—should instead be considered in the government’s bid for COVID-19 vaccine.

The senator said “all these factors must be harmonized to make sure we deliver to our people the vaccine that is cost effective but is efficient and deliverable.”

“We appeal to our Task Force leaders to look at the effectiveness of the vaccine rather than political or geo-political reasons,” Zubiri said in a statement.

“Safety of our people should come first, not the feelings of our neighboring friends,” the senator added.

READ: COVID vaccines meant to protect people, not advance political agenda — Hontiveros

Before its holiday break, the Senate constituted itself into the Committee of the Whole to look into the executive department’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.

Zubiri said hearings regarding the matter will begin once the Senate resumes session in January next year.

“The Senate will closely monitor the deals made through our oversight function and we have already constituted the Committee of the Whole to hear out the roll out plans on our government starting the 1st week of January,” Zubiri said.

“Hindi kami papayag na ibibigay sa ating mga kababayans yung mga bakunang palpak at walang silbi sa pag bigay proteksyon sa COVID-19,” he added.

(We will not allow our countrymen to receive ineffective vaccines against COVID-19).

READ: ‘What’s the game plan?’ Senate to look into gov’t COVID vaccination program

JE