Senators: 50% effectiveness of Sinovac unacceptable
Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) – December 26, 2020 – 12:00
MANILA, Philippines – Senators strongly warned the government yesterday against risking the lives of Filipinos and purchasing China’s Sinovac vaccine, saying it is not only expensive compared to other brands, but also supposedly 50% effective.
Senate majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon, in separate statements, expressed concern over reports that Sinovac tests in Brazil showed that the Chinese-made vaccine was only 50% effective . Its manufacturer, Sinovac Biotech Ltd., reportedly has not released data about its tests.
They noted that the Pfizer vaccine has a high 95% efficacy rate, but has strict requirements for cold storage, while AstraZeneca serum is at least 75% effective, but with more compatible storage standards.
Zubiri said the country’s search for COVID-19 vaccines must take into account key factors, including safety, effectiveness, price and ease of distribution and implementation.
“All of these factors must be harmonized to ensure that we deliver to our people the vaccine that is economical, yet efficient and distributable. When we say efficient, it means a high rate of effectiveness, ”said Zubiri.
“That is why the plan to obtain vaccines with an efficacy rate of just 50% is totally unacceptable and a total waste of our funds and resources. That there is a 50/50 chance that you will get COVID, even after being vaccinated, is a joke! ”He added.
To emphasize his point, Zubiri said that a 50 percent effectiveness could mean that one in two Filipinos injected with Sinovac would still be infected with COVID-19, which would be dangerous for the elderly, frontliners and people with comorbidities.
He called on the National Task Force on COVID-19 to examine the effectiveness of vaccine candidates “rather than for political or geopolitical reasons”.
“The safety of our people must come first, not the feelings of our neighboring friends,” said Zubiri.
Drilon said that while there is great urgency in obtaining vaccines and the government is trying to strike a balance between several key factors, safety and effectiveness must be the first and most important consideration, otherwise there is a risk that people refuse vaccines out of fear.
“We are talking about the life and future of Filipinos here. We cannot accept ‘this will do’ when it comes to vaccines, ”said Drilon in Filipino.
He said that the vaccine secretary, Carlito Galvez, should consider reports about the Chinese vaccine carefully and wait for clearer guidelines from the scientific community and other authorization agencies to determine whether Sinovac “is worth offering to ours or not. people”.
Most importantly, he said, is for the government to have a vaccination program started in 2021 with the best possible vaccine combination it can get.
“There is a global shortage of vaccines and we must focus on vaccinating our priority segments,” said Drilon.
Herd immunity will require a multi-year vaccination program and, over time, the country will be able to inoculate 60% to 90% of the population.
“But our short-term priority should be to vaccinate our leaders and most at-risk population, which are the top 20%,” said Drilon.
Meanwhile, the airline Philippine Airlines (PAL) is preparing its fleet to assist in the eventual transport of COVID-19 vaccines to and from the country.
“The long-awaited global launch of the COVID-19 vaccine contributes to cautious optimism in the Philippine travel and tourism sectors. PAL is preparing its fleet of large aircraft for the task of transporting vaccines to the Philippines and around the region, ”he said.
The second district of Quezon City, Rep. Precious Castelo, previously urged the government to use local airlines to transport and deliver COVID-19 vaccines across the country. – Richmond Mercurio