Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has been inoculated with the first dose of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine in Manila City on Friday.
The Department of Health said Duque, a senior citizen, was vaccinated with the CoronaVac jab.
“As I receive my dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today, I invite everyone to do the same, and choose to be protected,” Duque said.
“Let us all take part in protecting public health, and let us be in unison in spreading one message: that vaccines are safe, and vaccines are effective,” he added.
Duque’s vaccination was made after the approval of CoronaVac for senior citizens.
He earlier deferred his inoculation since CoronaVac was initially recommended for clinically healthy individuals aged 18 to 59 only.
The Food and Drug Administration eventually allowed the use of the Chinese-made vaccine on the elderly amid a shortage of AstraZeneca doses.
The Philippines has vaccinated over 1.3 million health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities as of April 20. Willie Casas
