Hontiveros reminds gov't to be cautious amid 'COVID-19 vaccine race'

Senator Risa Hontiveros warned the government on Thursday to be circumspect as countries "race" towards discovering a vaccine against COVID-19 and to set high standards to ensure safety of the Filipino people who will undergo immunization.

"Although we are looking forward to the development of a vaccine against COVID-19, kailangan nating maging maingat at siguraduhing ligtas ito at pumasa sa lahat ng strict medical trials," Hontiveros said on Twitter.

"Huwag din sana tayong papagitna sa karerahan ng Russia at ng iba pang mga bansa kasi hindi ito karera. Buhay ng sangkatauhan ang nakataya sa development ng ligtas, accessible, at maayos na bakuna," she added.

Although we are looking forward to the development of a vaccine against COVID-19, kailangan nating maging maingat at siguraduhing ligtas ito at pumasa sa lahat ng strict medical trials.

— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) August 13, 2020

Hindi rin istratehiya ang pag-aantay Lang ng bakuna. We need to confront the present issues brought by COVID-19 to Filipinos right now: testing, tracing, isolation at treatment.

Sa mga ganitong aspeto pa lang, dapat may tugon at aksyon na tayo.

— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) August 13, 2020

The country's Food and Drug Administration said a vaccine against COVID-19 may be available by the end of the year as those being developed in China, US, London, and Russia are already under the Phase 3 trial.

The infectious disease has already affected over 20 million people worldwide and more than 143,000 of those were recorded in the Philippines.

Earlier this week, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, two months after its human trial.

President Rodrigo Duterte thanked Putin for committing to make its vaccine available in the Philippines. He added that he was willing to be the first Filipino to receive the shot.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, meanwhile, said the government will still subject the Russia-made vaccine against COVID-19 to regulatory procedures before clearing it for clinical trials.—AOL, GMA News