Duterte waiting on physician advice on whether to get COVID booster shot

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III administers Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine to President Rodrigo Duterte on May 3, 2021, in Malacañang. (Screenshot from Sen. Bong Go’s Facebook livestream)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is waiting for his physician’s advice on whether to get a COVID-19 booster shot, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“Kung tatanggap ba siya [President] o isasapubliko ba ang additional o booster shots, that’s actually between the President and his personal physician so abangan na lang natin ano ang magiging advice ng kanyang personal physician,” Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in a Palace briefing.

(Whether the President will get a booster or additional COVID-19 shot and make it public, that’s actually between him and his personal physician. Let’s wait for the advice of his personal physician.)

The government started this week administering COVID-19 booster shots to senior citizens, a priority group President Duterte falls under, as well as persons with comorbidities.

The government first opened booster shots to health workers last week.

Duterte earlier this year received two doses of China-made Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

He received his first dose in May when the vaccine did not yet have an emergency use approval from the country’s Food and Drug Administration.

He then received his second dose of Sinopharm vaccine 70 days after he was first given it on May 3.

The World Health Organization recommends an interval of three to four weeks between the first and second dose of the Sinopharm vaccine.

JPV