Six hours after arriving in the Philippines, the Sinovac vaccines donated by China made their way to government hospitals, where more than a hundred healthcare workers and several government officials received their first dose on Monday, March 1.
The first to be vaccinated was Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi, followed by Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo, who last month was hesitant to recommend the China-manufactured vaccine for medical frontliners due to its 50.5% efficacy. Government officials who were present during the ceremonial vaccination also received vaccine shots. Among them were vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr, Department of Health Technical Advisory Group head Edsel Salvana, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Benjamin Abalos Jr.
Only 124 from about 2,000 medical staff of the PGH were vaccinated on the first day. Thirty military personnel were given shots at the V Luna Hospital, while 20 healthcare workers volunteered at the Lung Center of the Philippines.ROLL OUT.