MANILA— The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday said only 242 out of millions of fully vaccinated individuals in the Philippines have contracted COVID-19, showing the efficacy of vaccines against the virus.
Of the 13.8 million individuals inoculated with the full dose of COVID-19 vaccines, only 242 people or 0.0017 percent contracted the disease 14 days after getting their second dose, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Eric Domingo said.
"This [number] is very low... well within global standards," he said in a press conference.
"Itong datos na nakalap ng FDA ay nagpapakita na safe at effective po ang ating mga bakunang may Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)," he said.
(The data the FDA collected shows that vaccines granted Emergency Use Authorization are safe and effective.)
The FDA also recorded 60,731 adverse effects following immunization, or 0.18 percent of the 33.3 million doses administered in the Philippines.
"Of this number, only 0.006 percent were reported as a serious adverse reaction," Domingo said.
"Malaking drastic improvement from getting COVID nangyayari kapag nakuha mo 'yung second dose," he said.
(There is a drastic improvement against chances of getting COVID after you get the second dose.)
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At least 5 fully vaccinated individuals died from COVID-19, he said.
"These deaths were all seniors citizens, some with comorbidities," he said.
While there is no vaccine that provides 100 percent protection against COVID-19, data show that all vaccine brands being used in the government's inoculation program are effective, the FDA chief said.
As of September 7, 2021, the Philippines has fully vaccinated 15.54 million people or 20 percent of its target vaccinations to attain herd immunity against COVID-19.
Some 21 million others have received their first dose.
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