FILE PHOTO: This is a photo illustration taken on March 11, 2021, that shows vials of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, a syringe, and a figurine in Paris. (Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 361 out of 5.8 million vaccinees who received the first dose of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines still contracted COVID-19, Food and Drug Administration Director-General Eric Domingo said Wednesday, citing data as of June 20.
He said 173 out of 3.7 million vaccinees who received the first dose of the Sinovac vaccine contracted COVID-19. Of the number, 11 died of severe respiratory disease. Meanwhile, 188 out of 2.1 million individuals who got the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose, also got COVID-19 with 11 succumbing to the disease.
As for the second dose, out of 1.6 million individuals who received a second shot of Sinovac, 60 vaccinees still contracted COVID-19 while six vaccinees out of 427,000 who got the AstraZeneca vaccine as their second dose, still got sick. However, all were just mild cases and no deaths were reported.
“Nakikita natin na mayroon pa na nagkakaroon ng COVID pero kakaunting kakaunti na lang even after the first dose pero drastically goes down after the second dose at definitely after the second dose, lumiliit ‘yung chance ng severe COVID at saka pagkamatay,” Domingo said in a televised public briefing.
(We see that there are still individuals who get COVID-19 but this is a small amount. After the second dose, the chances of getting severe COVID and death drastically goes down.)
He said these figures are plain observations and cannot be compared since the starting dates for the use of the vaccines are different — Sinovac was first used in March while AstraZeneca was first used in April — and the interval between the two doses are also different with Sinovac’s two doses administered four weeks apart while AstraZeneca’s doses are given eight to 12 weeks apart.
Domingo emphasized the importance and benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. He said, based on his own computations, if the 3.7 million people did not receive even a first shot of the Sinovac vaccine, 9,250 of them would have contracted COVID-19, and 160 patients would have died.
Meanwhile, as for AstraZeneca vaccines, if the 2.1 million patients did not get the vaccine, 5,296 of them would have contracted COVID-19 with 92 patients succumbing to the disease.
Domingo said this is based on the average daily COVID-19 attack rate of 5.9 cases per 100,000 per day and a case fatality rate of 1.74%.
He also stressed the importance of completing the two vaccine doses.
“May benefit pa rin ang pagbabakuna at pagkatapos naman ng second dose, halos wala nang nagkakaroon ng COVID at wala nang nagsesevere. Tingin ko, nagpeprevent pa rin ng COVID ang bakuna,” Domingo said.
(There is still a benefit in getting vaccinated. After the second dose, there is almost no severe case of COVID-19.)
“Kailangan po talaga at importante na ma-complete ‘yung dalawang dose. Kasi between the first dose and second dose, nakikita natin na nag-iimprove and protection ng mga naka-second dose,” he added.
(It is important to complete the two doses because the protection the vaccine gives improves after the second dose.)
He also reminded the public to still practice strict health protocols after being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as they can still get infected.
He said there is no vaccine yet that offers 100% prevention against COVID-19 infection.
As of Tuesday, the Philippines has already recorded a total of 1.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, composed of 50,037 active cases, 1.3 million recoveries, and 24,557 deaths.
As of June 27, a total of 10,065,414 vaccine doses have been administered across the country, including 7,538,128 that were provided as first jabs.