Duque: PSG to submit monthly report on effects of COVID-19 vaccine

Small bottles labelled with “Vaccine” stickers stand near a medical syringe in front of displayed “Coronavirus COVID-19” words in this illustration taken April 10, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Security Group (PSG) will submit to the Department of Health (DOH) a monthly report on possible adverse effects experienced by their personnel who received the COVID-19 vaccine, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday.

“I have spoken to [PSG] Commander Jes[us] Durante and he agreed to turn over the list and also a monitoring system for adverse events following immunization,” Duque said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

“A system has been put in place and they need to adopt this and submit to us a monitoring report on a monthly basis,” he added.

Duque said the PSG has yet to submit the list its members who got the COVID-19 vaccine and it remains to be a “work in progress.”

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III (Screengrab from Kapihan sa Manila Bay video interview)

Previously, the PSG commander admitted they administered the COVID-19 vaccines themselves as early as September last year.

Durante also said the personnel who were vaccinated against COVID-19 have yet to experience any side effects.

Despite fierce criticisms from lawmakers and several groups, the PSG’s move to vaccinate its members have been backed by Malacañang and President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

The National Bureau of Investigation and the country’s Food and Drug Administration have launched separate investigations regarding PSG’s unauthorized vaccination.

gsg