By Enrico Dela Cruz
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines received its initial dose of COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday in a shipment donated by China, a day before its vaccination would begin, but President Rodrigo Duterte will not be one of the first to be vaccinated.
Duterte attended a ceremony to deliver the arrival of the initial 600,000 doses of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac, delivered by a Chinese military aircraft, before a further 25 million CoronaVac doses, which would be delivered in groups this year.
But Duterte, who turns 77 next month, said in a newsletter that although he wants to be vaccinated, his doctor wants another Chinese vaccine for him.
His remark highlights the lack of support facing the Philippines as it begins the vaccination system. One poll showed that less than a third of Filipinos are willing to be vaccinated due to perceptions about possible side effects.
The country’s vaccination campaign was initially aimed at health workers, police and military personnel. It has also negotiated with other manufacturers to vaccinate 70 million people, or two-thirds of the population.
The Philippines is the last country in Southeast Asia to receive initial vaccine provision, raising concerns about recovery prospects for a consumer-driven economy that suffered its worst slump last year, hit by prolonged coronavirus closures.
“What you see now are donated vaccines. The problem is that everyone is in a hurry to get supplies,” Duterte told the news conference.
“Until there is another stock, we’ll have to wait.”
Duterte has promised to further ease restrictions to support economic recovery, but only when more vaccines are available.
(Reported by Enrico Dela Cruz; edited by William Mallard, Raissa Kasolowsky and David Goodman)