Duterte prefers another brand of vaccine

Even President Duterte prefers a different brand of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Duterte has requested another brand of COVID-19 vaccine for him, his family, and possibly for some Cabinet members not because he dislikes the Sinovac vaccine donated by China.

The President admitted seeking a “personal” supply of vaccines a er expressing readiness to be inoculated to enhance protection against the new coronavirus disease.

Duterte, however, did not identify the brand but the Palace previously mentioned he prefers to be injected with a vaccine developed by China’s Sinopharm.

The 75-year-old leader earlier disclosed that his doctor has advised him to wait for a specific vaccine brand due to his old age.

“Ako, naghingi ako, personal. Wala silang stock na ano eh. Naghingi ako para sa pamilya ko pati sa akin,”Duterte said during a press conference Sunday a er welcoming the arrival of 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines donated by China to the country

“I don’t know if we would have enough vaccines for everybody but I think I can accommodate the…itong Cabinet members,” he added during the turnover ceremony held at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

The President is not among the first recipients of the Sinovac vaccines given by China as he waits for the other Chinese brand recommended by his doctor.

“My doctor has in mind. It’s a Chinese brand still pero hindi ito. Siya ‘yong nakaalam ng constitution ng katawan ko,” he said.

The President made there marks a few days after former special envoy to China Ramon Tulfo revealed Duterte’s preference for the Sinopharm vaccine. The newspaper columnist also bared he arranged a phone call between the President and a Sinopharm representative and that the former asked for vaccines for him and his family.