President Rodrigo Duterte’s doctors have advised him not to get an early dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday, December 28.

“Si Presidente mismo ang nagsasabi sa amin na gusto niya pero ang advice ng doctor niya ay ‘wag. Talagang ‘di pa siya nagpapabakuna. Ayaw ng mga doktor niya,” Año said in an interview with dzMM.

(The President himself has been telling us that he wants to get vaccinated but his doctors said no. He really has not been vaccinated. His doctors are against it.)

Año’s disclosure came after he confirmed that some Cabinet officials and members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) have been vaccinated against the virus. 

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Why the doubts?

Año did not say it, but health experts have been against early vaccinations, especially from Duterte’s favored China-sourced vaccines, because these have not undergone enough trials to prove if these are safe and effective.

Still, Año said in the same interview that Cabinet officials and soldiers have been vaccinated because of the urgent need to protect them. Vaccines that have not been properly tested, however, could pose a risk to their health.

Año said Duterte wanted to be vaccinated to encourage Filipinos to follow his example once vaccines arrive in the Philippines. Vaccines though are not expected arrive in the country soon.

It was unclear from which specific vaccine provider the government acquired the vaccines for the Cabinet members and soldiers. Rappler has sought the comment of Año through text and calls but he has yet to reply as of posting. – Rappler.com