WHO backs vaccine brand-blind policy

MANILA, Philippines, May 25 ------ The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed support for the Philippine government’s policy not to disclose in advance the brand of COVID-19 jabs to be given at vaccination sites, saying it would help prevent the crowding of people that can increase the transmission of the virus. WHO representative in the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe said all COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing death and severe disease. “It doesn’t actually matter which vaccine you’re receiving. So we should try to manage the situations where people (congregate) and (create) situations where transmission may increase,” Abeyasinghe said yesterday at a press briefing.

“And if not announcing the vaccine brand will help with that, I think this is a correct step in the right direction because this will help us to manage these kinds of super spreader events from happening and will also encourage people to accept the vaccines that are being rolled out. So we are supportive of this effort,” he added. Last week, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte himself ordered agencies not to reveal in advance the brand of vaccines to be administered at vaccination sites after seeing the crowding of people in places that received jabs developed by American drug maker Pfizer.

Critics of the policy insist that people have the right to know which type of vaccine would be used on them. Abeyasinghe said the WHO does not see a lot of vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines. “Actually, the issue is that the vaccine supply cannot meet the demand. We know that the Philippines has traditionally had some vaccine hesitancy. What we are seeing now is that people are eagerly ready to receive vaccines and it is, in some situations, local governments unable to keep up with the demand,” the WHO representative said.

“So it’s not actually an issue of vaccine hesitancy. There are many in some places preference for brand A or B of a vaccine, that should not be interpreted as vaccine hesitancy,” he added. Abeyasinghe reiterated that the government should follow the vaccine prioritization set by the COVAX Facility. “The COVAX Facility committed to provide vaccines to cover 20 percent of the population of the Philippines and indeed, all countries that signed on to the facility, and that 20 percent of the population was determined to be the frontline health care workers and the elderly population,” Abeyasinghe said.

“The COVAX Facility vaccines are used to maximize the impact on the pandemic by reducing deaths, by ensuring that the frontline health care workers are actually protected and reducing congestion in the hospital settings,” he added. Roque urged the public not to be choosy with vaccine brands, saying all jabs approved by the government are effective and safe. Asked why Duterte was allowed to get a vaccine developed by Chinese firm Sinopharm even if it has yet to secure an emergency use authorization from Philippine regulators, Roque replied: “Let’s put it in context. The President did not choose a stateside brand. He also chose a Chinese brand.

“Our problem now is it seems that many people prefer stateside vaccines. So I think the vaccination of the President with a Chinese vaccine will also bolster confidence on Chinese-made vaccines,” he added. At the same press briefing, Roque said Duterte would study whether a joint advertisement with Vice President Leni Robredo would be helpful in convincing the public to get vaccinated. Robredo, leader of the opposition, has expressed readiness to do an infomercial with Duterte to address vaccine hesitancy.

“It will really depend on the President, and the President will assess,” Roque said. “But based on our experience, and this is backed-up by a study by PSRC (Philippine Survey and Research Center), the most effective campaign against COVID so far is ‘mask, hugas, iwas (wear mask, wash your hands, observe physical distancing),’” he added.

Source: philstar.com