The Philippines is faced with a COVID-19 vaccine crisis. There is a global shortage of the vaccines precipitated by the massive demand in rich countries, which cornered 80 percent of the world’s supply. Poor nations are left to fend for themselves, usually with no option but to wait out the shortage.
The WHO has been putting together efforts, funds and vaccine supplies through ACT (Access to COVID-19 Tools) with initiatives such as COVAX and GAVI to bring the vaccines to poor countries.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said: “This is our big problem: because of global demand our supply is very thin in the first quarter.” It is thanks to China that the Philippines government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign can go on stream by end-February as planned.
The Sinovac Biotech general manager explained that “Currently, the product is being prepared, is ready…" As we were writing this, the Chinese Embassy FB page announced the arrival of the Sinovac vaccine on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021.
Sinovac vaccines were originally scheduled to arrive on Feb. 23, but it was the Philippines’ FDA that delayed the granting of the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), purportedly for a few lacking documents. Given the severity of the crisis one would think that red tape would be cut, but that didn’t happen.
Worse, when Sinovac finally got the EUA the inexplicable limitations on its use were unexpectedly imposed, based on reasons contradictory to empirical evidence observed from millions of Sinovac vaccines already injected since November, 2020 which found minimal side effects, zero severe reactions, and no special adverse effect on the elderly or those below 18.
Serious misunderstanding of the idea of efficacy rate of the Sinovac vaccines due to the premature reports of varying data from trials in three countries, i.e. Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia. The early propaganda boost for Pfizer and Moderna by the Western media made everything more confusing, claiming 95-percent efficacy undoubtedly aimed at creating a headstart in the global vaccine market.
But unmentioned by media reports, Sinovac had a distinct advantage in its Brazil trials as it was the one that focused testing on front-liners, those in direct contact with COVID-19 patients such as doctors, nurses, health workers and caretakers in hospital and homes-for-the-elderly. Even in such high risk subjects, Sinovac worked perfectly well as the evidence showed.
Sinovac in the Brazil trial proved 100-percent effective on subjects acquiring severe COVID-19 cases and requiring hospitalization; it proved 80 percent effective in preventing mild COVID-19 cases. The 50.4-overall efficacy rate is for a very much wider base that included symptomatic and asymptomatic cases confirmed by PCR tests but which vaccines worked to limit the severity.
Sinovac uses the inactivated virus production method that is 300 years old where there are no known unknowns, and so far has proven the safest. Indonesia approved it for use on elderly patients while Turkey and Brazil are already using it on the elderly. Unlike the Pfizer experience in Norway where it was associated with dozens of elderly deaths, there was no such report on Sinovac.
The Philippine FDA limitation imposed on Sinovac against use on the elderly is, therefore, inexplicable and contradictory to evidence. Dr. Lulu Bravo in an interview reported that the 50.4-percent efficacy affected the decision as some opted to wait for the high efficacy vaccines.
Was there a bias in favor of the Western pharmaceuticals? Dr. Lulu Bravo admitted that the vaccine panel discussion on Sinovac was very heated, reflecting a serious split but added that the decision may change if the other vaccines are delayed too long.
The trials for Pfizer and Moderna were not focused on front-liners but on a general sampling which only included 4.3 percent Asians. Many are under the impression that the Pfizer and Moderna data are complete – that’s not true as all the trials will take a year or two to be completed. This was raised by Peter Doshi of the British Medical Journal who rejected the claims of the two U.S. pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Bravo did raise an interesting and important point in the discussion of the Sinovac vaccine, that the Philippines should start seriously its own vaccine production capabilities. Indonesia has its joint-venture with Sinovac to produce its vaccine for COVID-19. Shouldn’t the Philippines have this, too?
One lesson learned in the pandemic is that US vaccine production and marketing have been based on capitalistic principles, from the “Warp Speed” multi-billion Trump funding spurring Pfizer and Moderna that faced many production limitations when other component producers dragged their feet due to lack of financial inventive causing shortfalls and triggering hoarding by rich nations, upsetting delivery timetables.
China’s President Xi Jinping announced in May 2020 that China’s vaccine, when ready, would be a “global public good.” He called for global vaccine cooperation, promising to aid poorer countries. Today China is mobilized to produce billions of doses, and is donating vaccines to 53 countries from which the Philippines got a donation of 600,000 doses. Indeed, China’s socialist spirit benefits mankind.
Herman Tiu Laurel is an author, writer and founder of the Phil-BRICS Strategic Studies think tank. He broadcasts “Power Thinks” with Ka Mentong Laurel and guests – Every Wednesday 6pm Live on Global Talk News Radio [GTNR] on Facebook and Talk News TV on YouTube; and Every Sunday 8 to 10am on RP1 738 on your AM radio dial.
