Duterte's second COVID-19 shot to come from China-donated Sinopharm vaccine

President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to take his second COVID-19 vaccine dose about a month after receiving his first jab, Malacañang said on Tuesday. 

Duterte's second dose will come from 1,000 jabs from Chinese state firm Sinopharm, which Beijing donated, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. 

The Philippine drug regulator this week cleared the donation for emergency use. 

"Kasama na po d'yan 'yong second na dose ni Presidente dahil hindi pa po nagkakaroon ng second dose ang ating Presidente dahil hinihintay nga po iyong EUA (emergency use authorization)," Roque said in a press briefing. 

(That includes the second dose of the President, which he has yet to take because he was waiting for the emergency use authorization.) 

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The Food and Drug Administration had not yet given an EUA to the Sinopharm vaccine donation when Duterte took his first jab last May 3. 

The President on the same week apologized to critics for his vaccine choice. 

The World Health Organization later in May approved Sinopharm for emergency use. 

Duterte last year admitted that some members of his security detail took unauthorized Sinopharm jabs.

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