MANILA: The Philippines has approved Sinovac Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, but will not give it to health care workers at risk of exposure due to its varying levels of efficacy, its Food and Drugs Agency (FDA) said on Monday.
Late-stage trial data of Sinovac’s vaccine showed it had a lower efficacy when used for health care workers exposed to COVID-19 compared with healthy individuals age 18-59, said FDA chief Rolando Enrique Domingo.
The Philippines has about 1.4 million health workers.
“According to our experts, (Sinovac’s) vaccine is not the best vaccine for them,” Domingo said in a briefing, referring to health workers.
He cited results of clinical trials of Sinovac’s CoronaVac in Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia.
CoronaVac is the third candidate to get emergency approval for use in the Southeast Asian nation of over 108 million.
That clears the way for the delivery of 600,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccines that China has agreed to donate, which were due to arrive on Tuesday but had been delayed because of the absence of the authorization.
The Philippines, which has the second highest of coronavirus infections and deaths in Southeast Asia, has yet to begin its immunization campaign.
It was banking on 117,000 Pfizer-BioNTech shots secured through the international vaccine sharing facility COVAX to kick off its vaccine program.
However, the unresolved question of who would pay for claims for damages in the event of adverse effects from the inoculations has delayed the delivery.
A bill is pending in Congress that seeks to grant indemnity to coronavirus vaccine makers.
“We ask for your patience because the vaccines were delayed by a few days, but we can finally begin the vaccination,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a separate briefing.
Philippines approves Sinovac coronavirus vaccine but not for all health workers
https://arab.news/8stja
Philippines approves Sinovac coronavirus vaccine but not for all health workers
- CoronaVac is the third candidate to get emergency approval for use in the Southeast Asian nation of over 108 million
Protesters try to attack driver after truck speeds through anti-Iran demonstration in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles police responded Sunday after somebody drove a U-Haul box truck down a street crowded with marchers demonstrating in support of the Iranian people, causing protesters to scramble out of the way and then run after the speeding vehicle to try to attack the driver.
The U-Haul truck, with its side mirrors shattered, was stopped several blocks away and surrounded by police cars. ABC7 news helicopter footage showed officers keeping the crowd at bay as demonstrators swarmed the truck, throwing punches at the driver and thrusting flagpoles through the driver’s side window.
The police department confirmed its officers were on the scene but didn’t immediately say if anyone was arrested.
Two people were evaluated by paramedics and both declined treatment, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Several hundred people had gathered Sunday afternoon in the Westwood neighborhood to protest against the Iranian theocracy. The LA police department eventually issued a dispersal order, and by 5 p.m. only about a hundred protesters were still at the scene, ABC7 reported.
Activists say a crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran has killed more than 530 people. Protesters flooded the streets in Iran’s capital of Tehran and its second-largest city again Sunday.
