Duterte mulling another brand for 2nd dose after Sinopharm?

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has expressed concern over the possible adverse effects of getting inoculated with a second dose of a brand different from the first.

Duterte got Sinopharm as his first jab.

During a late night conference on Tuesday, he asked Food and Drug Administration chief Eric Domingo if there are reports of deaths caused by mix-matching the China-made vaccine with other brands.

Domingo said nobody has died from mixing and matching vaccines based on clinical trials. “None so far. There is no such interaction,” he said.

Domingo explained that the subject of trials includes the combination of an inactivated vaccine and another formula.

The FDA chief said the preliminary studies in other countries “are very encouraging” because it resulted in high efficiency and immunity.

Domingo said there is no “toxicity” issue, which the President referred to, explaining further that the mix-and-match strategy has been effective in providing additional protection to those who got vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Domingo announced that China has developed Vaccine Number 19, which is a new inactivated virus against SARS-CoV-2 developed by a private company called Minhai.

“Of these 19 approved vaccines all over the world, of course, eight are already approved in our country and we have a ninth possible applicant very soon,” he said.

Pfizer vaccine has received emergency use authorization for children 12 years old and above, the FDA chief said, while Sinovac has applied for amendment of emergency use authorization to include children aged three to 17 as eligible for vaccination.

“So, this is another potential vaccine that can be used for the pediatric age group… Our vaccine experts are now taking a look at the data and of course, asking questions from the proponents and getting more information,” he said, adding that within the month they will know whether to allow the use of Sinovac in children.