Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: Government officials hold 'Laging Handa' briefing on the country’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, other national issues | LIVE bit.ly/308YtgK

Updates by our digital producer @PiaGarciaHere

FDA Director General Eric Domingo says they received reports of 23 cases of "very mild" adverse effects following Sinovac vaccination

More healthcare workers from PGH expressed willingness to be vaccinated, FDA chief Domingo says

FDA chief Domingo says in areas where there is a lower daily attack rate of COVID-19 and where there are not a lot of people exposed to the virus, the efficacy rate of the Sinovac vaccine: Ang mga estimate nga po is anywhere from 63% to 91%

FDA chief Domingo: Yung 50%, yun po ay sa mga COVID-19 responders, mga doctors, nurses, at iba pang healthcare workers... na talagang directly in contact at nagma-manage ng COVID-19 patients

FDA chief Domingo says the application for Sinopharm EUA did not include any documents yet: Hiningi pa po namin sa kanila yung mga dokumento na kailangan para maevaluate yung kanilang application

FDA chief Domingo on Sinopharm EUA application: Pag nagsubmit sila ng dokumento, atsaka lang natin uumpisahan ang evaluation nito

FDA chief Domingo says there is still no data available on the Phase 3 trial results of the Sinopharm vaccine

FDA chief Domingo: Until we see the scientific evidence at makita
natin kung kanino ginamit yung clinical trial, atsaka yung kanilang experience sa paggamit sa ibang bansa, dun pa lang natin mabibigyan ng recommendation kung kanino pwede ang Sinopharm

FDA chief Domingo: Mabilis ang proseso ng FDA basta kumpleto ang dokumento, lalo na kung may EUA from stringent regulatory authority... kaya po namin in 21 days

FDA chief Domingo on the probe into the PSG and special envoy Mon Tulfo concerning early vaccination: As of now wala pa kaming nakukuhang kasagutan, pero tuluy-tuloy ang investigation

FDA chief Domingo says they are waiting for the report from the regulatory enforcement unit regarding these issues

FDA chief Domingo on delay of AstraZeneca vaccine arrival: Wala pa pong binibigay na petsa, siguro umiiwas na rin sila magbigay ng petsa hanggang siguradong-sigurado nang nakasakay na talaga sa eroplano. Mukhang ang hirap po talaga ay yung pagtransport

FDA chief Domingo: Ang sabi naman ng WHO ay talagang nakalaan na sa atin ang mga doses na iyon, at sasabihin na lang nila sa atin kung alam na talaga nila eksakto yung petsa

FDA chief Domingo says 600,000 Sinovac vaccines are not enough for healthcare workers

FDA chief Domingo: Ang compassionate special permit is not any way a guarantee of safety and efficacy ng isang bakuna

FDA chief Domingo: Pag nagbigay kami ng compassionate special permit, klaro po na ang naghihingi ng bakuna ay siya ang completely responsible sa produktong yon, hindi po naevaluate yan ng FDA

Dr. Edsel Salvana: Dun sa dinonate ng Sinovac, 300,000 lang ang bibigyan ng first dose para sgurado na merong second dose

Dr. Salvana: It will take 6 weeks at least, kasama na yung pagbibigay ng bakuna sa fourth week — yung second dose — after that, two weeks to get the full protection

Dr. Salvana urges those who have gotten the vaccine to continue following health and safety protocol

Dr. Salvana on the South African variant: Merong indikasyon na pwedeng bumaba yung antibody response at yung efficacy nung vaccine against these kinds of variants

Dr. Salvana says they are still waiting for studies, but adds this is a cause for concern

Dr. Salvana says continuous surveillance is critical to see the effects of the variant

Dr. Salvana says the variants seen in the country could be a factor in the rise of COVID cases, but adds it is not the "main driver."

Dr. Salvana: Tumataas po ito more likely dahil sa nagiging careless tayo ng konti. It's more likely the old virus

Philippine Council for Research and Development Executive Director Jaime Montoya says extensive study is done by experts before a vaccine is approved by the FDA

.@DOST_PCHRD executive director says a third or fourth shot of the vaccine could happen depending on studies that my happen in the future

.@DOST_PCHRD executive director says he thinks trials on the Janssen vaccine could finish in the next few months if the target population is met

@DOST_PCHRD .@DOST_PCHRD executive director says a lot of companies have expressed interest in conducting trials in the country, but applications have yet to be submitted