MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte waited for Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) before getting his second dose out of respect for medical frontliners, Malacañang said Thursday.
“Because some doctors reached out to him and said, perhaps you should wait for the EUA and out of respect to our medical frontliners, he complied,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing when asked why the President has yet to get his second dose.
Duterte was inoculated with the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in May.
During that time, Sinopharm’s vaccine had yet to secure an EUA though it was already granted compassionate use for members of the Presidential Security Group.
“Wala pa akong alam na schedule sa second jab niya pero I’m sure inantay kasi ‘yung EUA na naririyan na,” Roque said.
(I’m not yet aware of any schedule for his second jab, but I’m sure it’s because he waited for the EUA which was already issued.)
After the President’s vaccination drew criticisms, Duterte said he asked China to just “withdraw” 1,000 Sinopharm shots donated to the country.
Sinopharm’s vaccine was only approved for emergency use in the Philippines on Monday.