600,000 Sinovac vaccines to arrive Feb. 23 —Palace

More than half a million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac are set to arrive in the country on February 23, Malacañang announced on Thursday.

At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said 600,000 doses will arrive on that date, including the 100,000 donated by the Chinese government to the Department of National Defense.

"Ang bakuna po ng Sinovac na galing China, nakaukit na po sa bato ang pagdating. Ito po ang ay sa 23 ng Pebrero, 23 February po darating ang Sinovac," he said.

Sinovac has yet to be issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration, a requirement before a vaccine can be legally administered in the country.

The efficacy rate of Sinovac varied from 50%, 65% and 91% in human trials in Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey.  

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier expressed preference for a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, although Roque said this week that the brand of COVID-19 vaccine for the Chief Executive would have to be determined by his physician.

Also on Thursday, Roque said the President already decided on whether he will get his COVID-19 vaccine in public even as Roque previously said that Duterte will get his COVID-19 in private because it will be injected on his butt.

“I know of the decision of the President already. I can say that the President’s decision is consistent that he prefers Chinese but I am not in authority to make that decision public. The President himself will make that pronouncement himself, Roque said.

“Let’s just say he has been consistent that he prefers Chinese [COVID-19 vaccine],” Roque added. — KBK/RSJ, GMA News