Duque gets Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III received his first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in Manila City on Friday.

The Department of Health said Duque, a senior citizen, got the CoronaVac jab developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech.

“As I receive my dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today, I invite everyone to do the same, and choose to be protected,” Duque was quoted as saying.

“Let us all take part in protecting public health, and let us be in unison in spreading one message: that vaccines are safe, and vaccines are effective.”

Duque’s vaccination follows the approval of the use of CoronaVac on senior citizens. He earlier deferred his inoculation since CoronaVac was initially recommended for clinically healthy individuals aged 18 to 59 only. 

The Food and Drug Administration eventually allowed the use of the Chinese-made vaccine on the elderly amid a shortage of AstraZeneca doses.

The Philippines has vaccinated over 1.3 million health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities as of April 20. 

The country has logged 971,049 COVID-19 cases with 846,691 recoveries and 16,370 deaths as of Thursday afternoon. —Julia Mari Ornedo/KBK, GMA News