FILE President Rodrigo Duterte received his second dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine administered by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. Courtesy Senator Bong Go.
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte did not experience any adverse effects yet as a result of getting Sinopharm as a booster shot despite the lack of studies and data on using the vaccine as an appropriate booster, Malacañang said Wednesday.
“Wala naman pang masamang epektong naidulot [ang Sinopharm booster] sa pagkakaalam namin,” Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said in an interview over One Balita Pilipinas.
(He did not experience any adverse effects yet as far as we know.)
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said there is no recommended booster shot yet for those who received Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines as there is still not enough studies and data available regarding the matter.
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said expert groups are still studying it.
Nograles reiterated that the decision of Duterte to get a Sinopharm booster shot is between him and his personal physician.
He echoed the DOH remarks that the government is coordinating with manufacturers and experts to obtain additional information and data needed for the country’s vaccine expert panel to determine the appropriate booster shot for Sinopharm vaccinees.
In his Talk to the People briefing on Jan. 6, Duterte mentioned in passing that he has received his booster shot. The President received the Sinopharm vaccine for his initial vaccinations.
The following day, Jan. 7, Nograles said “it appears” that Duterte had already received his booster shot, based on the President’s statements on his public address.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Sinopharm for emergency use only last June, even though several administration allies and Duterte had admitted to using the China-made vaccine well before the the agency authorized it.