President Rodrigo Duterte receives his second dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine administered by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. Courtesy Senator Bong Go.
MANILA, Philippines — On his doctor’s advice, President Rodrigo Duterte received his second dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine 10 weeks after his first—way past the recommendation of the World Health Organization to administer the two doses three to four weeks apart.
This was the answer given by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque when asked why Duterte only got his second dose on July 12, or 10 weeks after receiving his first dose on May 3.
“Nung tinurukan po si Presidente, present po yun kanyang personal physician. Hindi po nagpakita sa camera pero he was present. That’s a decision po of his attending physician,” Roque said when asked about the gap between Duterte’s first and second doses.
(When the President was inoculated, his personal physician was present. He did not appear on camera but he was present. That’s the decision of his attending physician.)
“Although it was [Health] Secretary [Francisco] Duque who administered the shot, yan po ay isang bagay na between the President and his attending physician,” he added.
(Although it was administered by Secretary Duque, this was something discussed by the President and his attending physician.)
At the time the President was inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine in May, the vaccine had yet to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA at that time allowed a compassionate use of the vaccine for members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
It was only in June when Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the FDA for emergency use.