Palace: No reason to turn down AstraZeneca vaccine despite emergence of South Africa variant

There is no reason to hesitate in getting an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine despite the presence of new variants of coronavirus in the Philippines, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Thursday.

Roque made the response a day after molecular biologist and OCTA Research fellow Fr. Nicanor Austriaco warned that AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine won’t prevent COVID-19 transmission in the country if the South Africa variant won’t be curbed in the Philippines since previous studies on AstraZeneca showed it has lower efficacy rate on such variant.

As of March 4, there are six COVID-19 cases of South Africa variant in the Philippines on top of the at least 87 of the UK variant.

“Hindi po malaki ang presensiya ng South Africa variant sa ating bansa so far kaya I don't think this should be a basis para mag atubili na naman sa AstraZeneca,” Roque said at a press briefing.

“AstraZeneca is as popular as Pfizer-BioNTech [COVID-19]. Kung gaano karaming FDA ang nag-issue ng EUA sa Pfizer, ganon din sa AstraZeneca,” Roque added.

At least 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca from the COVAX facility are expected to be delivered in the country tonight.

Based on Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluation, AstraZeneca’s efficacy rate reached 70% after first dose and that such rating increases after administration of second dose after four to 12 weeks.

The protocol for the COVID-19 vaccination program provides that health workers will be the first in line to get a COVID-19 jab, regardless of the brand.

Likewise, health workers are allowed to choose whatever COVID-19 vaccine they prefer without losing their priority status.

Echoing an earlier pronouncement by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Roque said  the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccines has yet to be determined pending the recommendation of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG).

“Hindi ko pa po alam [ang rollout date ng AstraZeneca]. Pero medical frontliners pa rin ang mauuna and pupuwede po silang pumuli ng bakuna without losing their priority status,” Roque said.

“Ang ina-approve lang ng NITAG ay protocols on the arrival of limited vaccines, una pa rin po ang medical frontliners and the rest under the program,” he added.

Only 600,000 doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Chinese government are available in the country so far.

Sinovac, based on FDA evaluation, is only recommended for clinically healthy individuals aged 18 to 59 years old.

“I don’t see them [NITAG] deviating from the protocol,” Roque said. — RSJ, GMA News