MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended to the Department of Health (DOH) that the Philippines continues using AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine in its vaccination program.
In an online Palace briefing, FDA Director-General Eric Domingo said that the World Health Organization, the country’s vaccine experts panel, and the adverse events committee maintained that the vaccine’s benefit outweighs the risks.
“So sumulat ako kanina kay [DOH] Secretary [Francisco] Duque para sabihin sa kanya, i-reiterate the benefit outweighs the risk and that we should continue using the vaccine para sa ating vaccination program,” Domingo said.
“Tamang tama naman, padating pa lang yung next vaccine natin, siguro mga two to three weeks, so yung mga nabigyan dati, matutuloy naman yung kanilang second dose,” he added.
The DOH earlier suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on individuals aged 60 and below over concerns about rare cases of blood clots detected in persons vaccinated with the jab in other countries.
Domingo earlier said it will release new guidelines on the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.