Duterte to be injected with Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine by May 2021 — Palace

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is expected to be injected with Russia’s vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) by May of 2021, Malacañang said on Thursday, as the Philippines plans to launch its clinical trials in October.

The 75-year-old Duterte, who volunteered to be among the first to be inoculated in public, might be immunized with the Russian vaccine by May 1, 2021 at the earliest, his spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.

“Ibig sabihin po sa Mayo a-uno 2021 pa lamang puwedeng magpasaksak ng bakuna galing sa Russia ang ating Pangulo (It means the President may only get vaccinated as early as May 1, 2021),” Roque said during a virtual press briefing.

Roque said the target date was set by the Departments of Health and Science and Technology.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his country as the first to approve a coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday even though the final stage of testing only started this week.

Russia’s Sputnik 5 vaccine has been developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in coordination with the country’s defense ministry.

Roque said an expert panel review from the Philippines would first have to review the results of the first and second phases of the clinical trials of the Russian vaccine in September.

He said the third phase of the clinical trials of Sputnik 5, which would be funded by the Russian government, would be held simultaneously in Manila and Moscow from October 2020 to March 2021.

Roque said Russia would fund the clinical trial in the Philippines.

By April 2021, Roque said the vaccine is expected to be approved by the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

He added that the clinical trials would only be open to volunteers.

Source: TheManila Times