There are questions as to President Rodrigo Duterte’s willingness to take COVID-19 shots from US-based Pfizer or UK’s AstraZeneca.
The President previously said that his administration would prioritize coronavirus vaccines from Russia and China, as he accused Western pharmaceutical companies of making a profit from the on-going pandemic.
However, only Pfizer and AstraZeneca have yet to secure emergency use authorizations for their vaccines, which are among the first expected to make their way into the Philippines.
Duterte’s choice of vaccine “would have to be discussed by the President with his physician,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“He is under advice from his physician right now,” he said.
