FDA says only听0.0017% of fully vaccinated Pinoys infected with COVID-19听
THE FOOD and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday said only 243 out of 13.8 million fully vaccinated Filipinos had been infected with the coronavirus as of Aug. 29.听
That is 0.0017%, which is听very low and within global standards,听FDA chief Rolando Enrique D. Domingo told a televised news briefing.听He听added听that it showed听that the benefits of getting vaccinated against the coronavirus听far听outweigh the risks.听
At least five fully听vaccinated people have died,听he听said.听The patients were either old or were seriously ill.听
Mr. Domingo said 60,703 people had experienced adverse effects after听getting a shot,听2,083听of whom听had experienced serious effects.听
The FDA chief said one of 200 Filipinos who听got听the vaccine made by AstraZeneca Plc听had听experienced adverse effects, including听body pains, pain on the injection site,听fever听and a听heavy feeling.听
The Department of Health (DoH)听reported record 22,820 coronavirus听infections on Thursday night, bringing the total to 2.16 million.听
The death toll rose to 34,733 after more patients died, while recoveries increased by 12,337 to 1.96听mollion,听it听said in a bulletin.听
There were 166,672 active cases, 87% of which were mild, 8.3%听did not show symptoms, 1.4% were severe, 2.65% were moderate and 0.7% were critical.听
DoH said 108 duplicates听had been听removed from the tally, 96 of which were听tagged as听recoveries, while听29 recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Five laboratories听failed to听submit data on Sept. 7.听
Meanwhile, Mr. Domingo said children听would get vaccinated against the coronavirus听once the country听gets听enough vaccines.听
Earlier in the day, the Quezon City government听said听99 children in an orphanage had been infected with the coronavirus.听
The outbreak in Gentle听Hands Orphanage in Bagumbayan village听followed a visit by a positive adult who did not show symptoms, according to state media.听
The World Health Organization has been urging advanced countries to suspend听a plan to give out听booster shots until at least the end of the year to ensure supplies for poor countries.听
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III earlier told a House committee hearing the Budget听department had听cut the agency鈥檚 proposed P104-billion budget for booster shots next year to P45 billion.听
Meanwhile,听Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua told a Senate hearing听a plan听to let听fully听vaccinated people听move more freely during a lockdown might听be enforced in Metro Manila.听
鈥淧erhaps we can have it across the board, across the National Capital Region, in a gradual process,鈥 he听said.听
The听government听seeks听to fully vaccinate 70% of the target population听against the coronavirus听in听high-risk areas by the end of October, according to the country鈥檚 vaccine czar.听
These places include the National听Capital Region, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro City, Central Luzon and the Calabarzon region, vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. told lawmakers at a House of Representatives hearing on Thursday.听
鈥淭his is a very bold target,鈥 he said, adding that its success would depend on the availability of vaccines.听
Mr. Galvez on Wednesday said the state would听raise听its听herd immunity target to as much as 90% of the population听to protect people from a more contagious听Delta听coronavirus听variant.听
Citizens are indirectly protected from an infectious disease when听more people听become听immune, either through vaccination or a previous infection. It makes the spread of the disease from person to person unlikely.听
Mr. Galvez also said during the House hearing听the government had taken delivery of听52.79 million vaccine doses,听17.12 million听doses of which were听donated and 35.67 million听were bought.听
He said听61.5 million more doses, including 28 million from Pfizer, Inc. and 22 million from Sinovac Biotech Ltd.听would arrive as early as this month.听
Of听the听25 million vaccines to be听given out this month, 3.81 million doses听would be allotted to听Calabarzon while听3.06 million听doses will be sent to听Central Luzon.听
Meanwhile, at least听a听million doses will mostly be given to various regions in听the听Visayas and Mindanao.听Mr. Galvez said听15.84 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated.听
Also on Thursday, Finance Secretary Carlos G.听 Dominguez said delays in vaccine deliveries are beyond their control.听
He told a Senate hearing the Finance department had paid for 195.67 million vaccine doses to cover 100 million Filipinos, including children aged 12 to 17.听
The Finance chief said the vaccination drive would depend on the arrival of the vaccines.听鈥淲e have to trust that they step up to the plate,鈥 he听said of vaccine suppliers.听
鈥淲e are at the mercy of the suppliers of the vaccines,鈥 Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay-Angeles told a hearing attended by economic managers.听鈥斕Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza,听Russell Louis C. Ku听and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan听
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ERRATUM: An early version of this story incorrectly听put the ratio in the title and lead.听
