‘No evidence that Sinovac vaccine is ineffective’
As far as Western Visayas is concerned, there is no evidence that the CoronaVac vaccine by Chinese pharmaceutical Sinovac Biotech is ineffective.
This is the Department of Health 6’s (DOH-6) reaction amid report that more than 350 doctors and medical workers in Indonesia have contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated with Sinovac vaccine.
“Wala kita enough data to prove that Sinovac is ineffective against COVID-19,” said Dr. Jocelyn Te, Medical Officer IV of the DOH-6, during yesterday’s virtual presser.
She said that all COVID-19 vaccines that are available now, as what have been said already, are very safe and effective in preventing the severe COVID-19 that would result to hospitalization.
“Sa Indonesia case where hundreds of infections were reported among vaccinated na nga health workers we don’t know if ilan talaga ang health workers nila sa Indonesia para masabi natin ang effectiveness,” Te added.
She noted that what had been emphasized even before is that there is no 100 percent assurance that one could not get infected anymore if they completed the COVID-19 vaccination.
In Western Visayas, data from two weeks ago showed that there were 173 individuals who still got infected with the virus after being vaccinated.
“Nakita naton sa data may ara man kita na-istorya nga nabakunahan na sila pero na-infect sila sang COVID pero very mild ang ila mga symptoms,” Te shared.
She then emphasized that it is still important to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Mas maayo gid nga mabakunahan kita, wala man sang hambal nga indi na kita ma-infect sang COVID pero ang aton gina-emphasize indi ka maka-cause sang severe or hospitalization because of COVID,” she said.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, meanwhile, commented that the city will continue its vaccination regardless of what vaccines are available.
“We get the available protection in the meantime…we will start getting AstraZeneca and other vaccines in tranches. I hope soon,” said Treñas, who already got his Sinovac shots.
As of June 20, DOH-6 data showed there were a total of 325,108 Western Visayans belonging to Priority Group A who have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.
As to vaccine allocation, the region received a total of 535,280 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of June 20, of which 384,040 doses were Sinovac; 137,200 AstraZeneca doses; and 14,040 Pfizer doses.