FDA: AstraZeneca jabs should resume
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended the lifting of the temporary suspension on the use of AstraZeneca vaccine.
In a virtual public briefing yesterday, FDA directorgeneral Eric Domingo said he recommended to the Department of Health (DOH) that AstraZeneca jabs still be used in the ongoing COVID immunization program.
“Have already written to Health Sec. (Francisco) Duque to reiterate the benefits and continue using the (AstraZeneca) vaccine for the vaccination program,” Domingo disclosed in mixed English and Filipino.
Domingo said he submitted the letter to the DOH based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), Vaccine Experts Panel, Adverse Events following vaccination Committee and other experts for the continuing use of the British-Swedish made vaccine.
He said the different groups came out with a “unanimous recommendation” that the overall benefits of AstraZeneca outweigh the known and potential risks.
He said the reported blood
clotting cases after use of the vaccine in Europe were very rare and none such case has been recorded in the Philippines.
Domingo said the DOH will come out with new guidelines to remind the vaccinees on the possible rare side effects and which people are not advised to be given AstraZeneca vaccine.
Meanwhile, ports and casino tycoon Enrique Razon said Moderna vaccines will start arriving in June or at the end of the second quarter.
Razon, who is leading private sector efforts to bring in the US-made vaccine to the country, spoke during the annual stockholders meeting of International Container Terminal Services Inc. yesterday.
“The collaboration of ICTSI and Bloomberry is the private sector lead in the procurement of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. To date, this is the largest combined national government, local government and private sector order,” Razon said.
“When deliveries arrive at the end of the second quarter, we shall immediately roll out our vaccination program for employees, their direct dependents and extended household members,” he added.
Last March, Razon signed a tripartite agreement with Moderna and the government that would pave the way for the supply of up to 20 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. thanked Razon for his support to pave the way for the arrival of vaccines to the country.
Razon had been in talks with US-based Moderna to bring in the mRNA-1273 vaccines.
The vaccine is developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and Moderna.
The Philippines has an allocation of 20 million doses, of which 13 million would be distributed by the government and the remaining seven million coursed through the private sector for distribution, industry sources said. Philippines Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the Moderna jab is the second COVID-19 vaccine to receive emergency use authorization in the US.
Furthermore, Romualdez said Moderna vaccine does not need to be stored at ultra cold temperatures and remains stable at -20 degrees Celsius for up to six months, at refrigerated conditions for 30 days and at room temperature for up to 12 hours.
The next step is to work with the FDA for approval of its use in the Philippines.