MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to receive his second dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine as he was waiting for the jab’s emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Malacañang said Tuesday.
“Kaya nga po kumuha ang DOH [Department of Health] ng EUA para dito sa mga donated na 1,000 na Sinopharm. Saan po gagamitin? Kasama na po dyan yung second dose ni Presidente dahil hindi pa po nagkakaroon ng second dose ang Presidente dahil inaantay nga po itong EUA,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.
(The reason why the DOH applied for an EUA is because it will be used for the donated 1,000 doses of Sinopharm. Where will this be used? It will include the second dose of the President because he has yet to receive the second dose as he was waiting for the EUA.)
Duterte was inoculated with the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in May. At the time he was vaccinated, the vaccine has yet to receive an EUA though the FDA granted compassionate use of the said jab to the Presidential Security Group.
Due to criticisms, Duterte said he asked China to just “withdraw” 1,000 Sinopharm shots donated to the country.
The FDA only approved on Monday the DOH’s application to grant Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine an EUA.