The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already granted an emergency use authorization for Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine, as announced by the FDA Director-General Eric Domingo on Monday, February 22.
The announcement was made during a virtual press briefing in time for the expected delivery of an estimated 600,000 doses of Sinovac on February 23.
“After a thorough and rigorous review of the currently available published and unpublished data by our regulatory and medical experts, the FDA is granting an emergency use authorization to the COVID-19 vaccine of Sinovac Life Science Company,” Domingo said.
“It is decided that all conditions for EUA are present and that the benefit of using the vaccine outweighs the known and potential risk.”
Domingo clarified, however, that this doesn’t mean full approval for use. He also reportedly said that experts do not recommend its use among health workers and that only those between 18 to 59-years-old who are clinically healthy individuals can get vaccinated once the vaccines arrive, which may be before the month ends as stated by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Sinovac is the third company to be granted emergency approval in the Philippines, following Pfizer and AstraZeneca. However, as of writing, the Philippine government and the World Health Organization (WHO) are still waiting for the indemnity agreement from the two companies in order to finalize the delivery of their vaccines via the WHO’s COVAX facility.
(ALSO READ: Manila Residents, Here’s How to Register to Get Your Free COVID-19 Vaccine)
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