Moderna inoculations to continue as Philippine batches safe –DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday the COVID-19 inoculation effort using the Moderna vaccine would not be halted after Japan reported it suspended the domestic distribution of the vaccine brand amid reports of contamination.

“Here in the Philippines, we inspect lahat ng batches ng bakuna bago gamitin at walang nakitang ganyang kontaminasyon dito sa ating mga na-deliver na Moderna,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during state-run PTV’s Laging Handa briefing.

(We inspect all the batches of vaccines before we use them and we have not seen similar contamination in the Moderna vaccines delivered to our country.)

“We are not going to stop the Moderna inoculation,” she added.

Japan, on Thursday, suspended the use of 1.63 million doses shipped to 863 vaccination centers nationwide, more than a week after the domestic distributor, Takeda Pharmaceutical, received reports of contaminants in some vials.

NHK, in a report published late on Thursday, cited ministry sources as saying the particle reacted to magnets and was therefore suspected to be a metal. Moderna has described it as "particulate matter" that did not pose a safety or efficacy issue.

Vergeire explained that only the contaminated batch was suspended for jabs distribution and not the whole Moderna shipment delivered to Japan.

The Health official added that the reports of contamination in Japan will not affect the Philippines’ future procurement of the Moderna vaccine.

“Meron tayong protocols for us to ensure na safe 'yung mga bakunang dumadating at magagamit,” Vergeire said.

(We have protocols for us to ensure that the vaccines arriving are safe for use.)

A total of 469,200 more doses of Moderna vaccines arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, August 15, to augment the country's supply for its vaccination program against COVID-19.

On 8th August, 326,400 doses of Moderna vaccine arrived in the country and were mostly deployed in Metro Manila, where most cases of the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant were confirmed. — DVM, GMA News