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QC closely monitoring 1st UK Covid-19 variant case MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Quezon City government on Wednesday said it is closely monitoring the case of a resident who tested positive for the Covid-19 United Kingdom variant (B.1.1.7). The patient was tested on Jan. 7 upon arrival from Dubai and stayed at a hotel as part of protocol. The day after, it was confirmed that the person had the so-called United Kingdom variant after his sample was sent to the Philippine Genome Center. He wa s i m med iately brought to an isolation facility where he is now being cared for. He left the Philippines on
Dec. 27 on a business trip to Dubai with a female companion who tested negative upon arrival. The patient and his companion tested negative before leaving the Philippines, and also tested negative upon arrival in Dubai. The Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit said it has conducted contact tracing on the resident's close contacts upon his arrival like the healthworkers at the isolation facility where he was brought, and the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) that brought him from the hotel to the isolation facility.
The CESU is waiting for the Department of Health to submit the list of passengers who were on the same flight as the patient from Dubai to contact trace passengers who may be from Quezon City. As an added precautionary measure, the patient’s immediate household contacts have been brought to an isolation facility where they were also tested. C E SU a l s o i n it i ate d heightened surveillance in the community of the resident to determine the presence of clustered cases. "We have to remain cautious and vigilant to avert the spread of this new var-
iant. What is important is we take care of the resident, and make sure we don't sow panic in the community," Quezon Cit y Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a press release. Belmonte also stressed the need to intensify practicing minimum health standards and report all symptoms immediately, following the confirmation of the new variant in the city. "We are doing everything we can to trace and isolate, knowing fully well that this variant is more contagious but not more virulent”, CESU head Rolly Cruz said. (MNS)
Pfizer, Gamaleya COVID-19 vaccines may arrive in PH in February — Palace
MANILA (Mabuhay) — COVID-19 vaccines from US-based Pfizer and Russia's Gamaleya Institute may arrive in the Philippines in February, Malacañang said on Thursday, as authorities raced to book supplies of the drug to begin inoculations as the coronavirus pandemic persisted over a year since it began in China. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he was not at liberty to disclose how many jabs from Pfizer would arrive next month. The Food and Drug Administration just approved its application for emergency use approval, which shortens to 21 days the usual 6-month review before local use. "Makakatanggap na rin daw tayo ng ilang bakuna galing sa Pfizer as early as February... Alam ko po, hindi gaanong karami ang matatanggap natin," he said, quoting vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez. "Patunay po iyan na di tayo pumapabor kahit anong brand. Kung alin ang makakarating sa Pilipinas sa lalong madaling panahon, iyan po ang kukuhanin natin," Roque told reporters in an online briefing. FDA head Rolando Enrique Domingo said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has shown a 95-percent success rate, could be effective in preventing COVID-19. The disease has so far infected nearly half a million people. "Hindi rin po imposible na by February, baka mayroon na rin tayong maangkat [na COVID-19 vaccine] galing po sa Gamaleya ng Russia," said Roque. Domingo said China's Sinovac Biotech on Wednesday submitted its emergency use authorization application. That followed the release of late-stage trial data in Brazil
that showed efficacy at just 50.4 percent. The Philippines has secured 25 million doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac, with the first 50,000 to arrive in February. President Rodrigo Duterte defended the government's purchase of CoronaVac, saying on Wednesday night that it was as good as the shots developed by Americans and Europeans. The Philippines has trailed regional peers in securing
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Sinovac applies for emergency use authorization in Philippines MANILA (Mabuhay) — Chinese firm Sinovac has applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) before the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA Director General Eric Domingo said Thursday. Domingo issued the remark on the same day he announced that FDA granted EUA on Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine. “Yesterday, nag-submit ng application ang Sinovac,” Domingo said during a virtual briefing. Domingo, however, said that Sinovac has yet to complete submission of requirements needed to secure an EUA. “Ang naipadala pa lang nila ay ‘yung results ng Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials. Until we see the results of Phase 3 clinical trials, hindi pa natin ma-a-asses iyong benefit at risk,” Domingo said. Phase 3 is the human trials. “Iyong ba lancing kasi [ng benefits at risk], naka-angkla sa results ng Phase 3 clinical trial results,” Domingo said. Sinovac’s efficacy after human trials has been varied depending on the location where the trials were held thus far. It registered a 50% efficacy in Brazil, 65% in Indonesia and 91% in Turkey. The Philippines is hoping to secure 25 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac during the first quarter according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. To date, Sinovac has secured an EUA in China and in Indonesia. (MNS) vaccines, with which it hopes this year to inoculate 70 million people, or twothirds of its population. Galvez, who handles the vaccine procurement for the government, said it has now firmed-up supply deals with Novavax , Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Russia's Gamaleya Institute. AstraZeneca and Gamaleya have pending emergency use applications with the FDA. (MNS)
Informed consent needed to get inoculated against Covid-19 — DOH MANILA (Mabuhay) — While prioritizing front-line workers, the elderly, and indigents with the limited doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine initially coming to the country starting next month, an informed consent would be needed to get inoculated against the deadly virus, a health official said Tuesday. "Ang ating agreement diyan, and as recommended by our experts, mayroon naman ho kasi tayong informed consent. So, wala ho tayong maba-violate doon po sa mga karapatan ng ating mga kababayan (Our agreement on that, and as recommended by our experts, we have an informed consent. So, we won't violate any of our fellowmen's rights)," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a televised Palace briefing. Vergeire was responding to a question if an individual is allowed to refuse getting shots of Covid-19 vaccine. She explained that individuals will be informed about
the type of vaccine - including its benefits and side effects before they sign the consent form for Covid-19 vaccination. Choosing not to be inoculated with Covid-19 for
whatever reason does not disqualify a person from being vaccinated in the future, she added. "Ilalagay lang ho sila sa (Their names will just be placed at the) bottom list so that the other individuals can receive the vaccine," Vergeire said. She emphasized that any kind of vaccine entering the country is scrutinized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure its efficacy and safety for public use. "Basta nabigyan na po ng Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) ng FDA of the Philippines, equal footing na po iyan. Kaya hindi po natin kailangan na mamili po tayo ng bakuna. Kung a no po iyong mauunang ba kuna, at in pong tanggapin iyan (If it's given Emergency Use
Authorization by the FDA of the Philippines, that's equal footing. So, we don't need to choose. We'll receive which ever vaccine comes first)," she said. "Tandaan po natin iyong objective ng gobyerno kung bakit tayo kumukuha ng bakuna ay para maibsan na po natin itong sitwasyon natin ngayon (Let's remember that the objective of the government is to relieve our present situation that's why we are procuring vaccines)," she added. On Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the first 50,000 of the 25 million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine will arrive in February aside from 15,000 doses to be used for clinical trials in the country. Meanwhile, the delivery of 30 million doses of the Covovax vaccine from India will begin in the third quarter of the year. The healthcare workers, senior citizens, and the indigent population constitute the sectors to be prioritized in the deployment of the Covid-19 vaccines. (MNS)
