‘Health is our right,’ Robredo on public alternative of COVID-19 vaccine – Manila Bulletin

Vice President Leni Robredo stated on Sunday Filipinos can select which model of coronavirus vaccine they need to obtain just because they’ve the appropriate to take action.

“Our health is our right. This is not a privilege that will only be accessible to a few. We have the right to demand (for information) that will affect our health,” Robredo stated on her Sunday radio present.

The vice chairman urged the federal government to deal with considerations concerning the efficacy and the costs of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Robredo stated the individuals assigned to the procurement of the vaccines ought to disclose pertinent data that can instill confidence within the nation’s vaccination program.

“The disclosure of the prices of the vaccine will help boost the people’s confidence in the program. This is not a take-it-or-leave-it deal. This is the way we can convince the people that inoculation of the vaccine is the way for us to go back to normal,” she stated.

“If we are not going to exert any effort to tell the truth and address their concerns, this will not help in boosting their confidence,” Robredo defined.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. refused to divulge to senators the price by which the federal government is procuring the China-made Sinovac vaccines due to the non-disclosure settlement. He assured the chamber that Sinovac is cheaper than those provided by United States-produced vaccines equivalent to Pfizer and Moderna.

However in reviews, Sinovac is claimed to value P3,629.50 for 2 doses towards Pfizer’s P2,379, Moderna’s P3,904 to 4,504, and AstraZeneca’s P610. This can be a far cry from the Rp200,000 (P700) per dose that Indonesia paid for Sinovac.

Robredo clarified that she isn’t discriminating towards the vaccine’s producer, however simply needs assurance of its efficacy and price.

She argued that the general public has the appropriate to query the price of the vaccines as a result of the federal government is utilizing the taxpayers’ cash for his or her procurement.

It’s regular for the individuals to need to know concerning the vaccine’s efficacy price since their well being relies on it, Robredo stated, including that the federal government has an obligation to make clear these points.

Pfizer has a reported 95% efficacy price whereas Moderna has 94%. After two doses, AstraZeneca’s efficacy price additionally jumps to 90%.

However what bothers quite a lot of Filipinos is the decrease efficacy price of Sinovac, the vaccine that’s scheduled to reach within the Philippines subsequent month. Whereas some reviews point out the China-made vaccine additionally has an efficacy price of 91%, others reported it might be solely 78% and even round 50%.