Data shows Sinovac prevented COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations –FDA

Amid reports of health workers in Indonesia getting COVID-19 after being  jabbed with CoronaVac, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Eric Domingo said Tuesday that vaccinations using the vaccine made by China firm Sinovac had prevented COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths in the Philippines

According to a Reuters report, 350 health workers in Indonesia who were inoculated with the Sinovac vaccine still contracted COVID-19, with dozens of them hospitalized.

But Domingo explained that with their continuous monitoring of vaccinations in the Philippines,  they only recorded mild symptoms of COVID-19 after receiving Sinovac jabs.

"'Yung first dose at second dose talagang prone pa, pwede pang magka-COVID, kasi di naman 100% protection at that time. Mayroon pa rin nagkakaroon ng severe COVID," Domingo said over Balitanghali.

(Even if we get vaccinated there is still no 100% protection. Some are still getting severe COVID.)

"Pero nakita rin natin na kapag umabot ka na ng 14 days after the second dose kahit mayroong konting nagkakaroon ng COVID, mga mild cases na lang, wala na na-o-ospital, wala nang namamatay," he added.

(But 14 days after the second dose, even if the person gets COVID, only mild cases are recorded, no hospitalization, no deaths.)

The Department of Health (DOH) had earlier assured the public that vaccines were still effective, adding that there were some "breakthrough infections" of COVID-19 after inoculation. — DVM, GMA News