News Roundup 14 January 2021
Jan 14, 2021 • 4 min Read
Philippines tallies 1,912 new COVID-19 cases; total now at 494,605 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines logged 1,912 new coronavirus infections Thursday, pushing the country’s total to 494,605. Of the total, 25,614 or 5.2% are active cases or those who are still undergoing treatment and quarantine. The Department of Health recorded 746 new recoveries, bringing the total number of COVID-19 survivors in the country to 459,252. Meanwhile, the death toll increased by 40 to 9,739.
Philippines approves Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines approved Thursday the coronavirus vaccine of Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE for emergency use, making it the first COVID-19 jab to get the authorization needed for it to be rolled out by the government in its vaccination program. The country’s Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the shot after finding that the benefit of using the vaccine, which has a 95% efficacy rate, to prevent COVID-19 infections outweighs known and potential risks. The authorization clears the vaccine for use in people aged 16 and above. It can only be administered by health professionals who are trained to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. The EUA provides that Pfizer’s Philippine unit would supply the vaccine to “emergency response stakeholders,” including the Department of Health (DOH), the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) and whoever the two agencies authorize to procure coronavirus shots. Among those who the DOH and the NTF can designate are public and private hospitals, health facilities of other national government agencies, local government units, and other members of the private sector.
TIMELINE: The new Covid-19 variant from overseas to PH | INQUIRER.NET – It is here. The new coronavirus variant, which was first detected in the United Kingdom (UK), has been detected in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) announced Wednesday evening. “Following strengthened biosurveillance and border control efforts, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) today officially confirm the detection of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant (UK variant) in the country after samples from a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 7 yielded positive genome sequencing results,” the DOH said in a statement. According to DOH, the 29-year-old male patient is a resident of Quezon City who left for Dubai on December 27 for business purposes and arrived in the Philippines last January 7 via Emirates Flight No. EK 332. Meanwhile, the patient’s female partner who accompanied him during his trip tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 upon arrival. She is currently under strict quarantine and monitoring.
Drilon urges vigilance vs Cha-cha | Manila Bulletin – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon renewed his call Thursday for the Senate and the public to be vigilant against fresh attempts to railroad efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution, saying he sees a sinister agenda behind a House panel’s attempt to bypass the Senate’s role in the proposed Charter change. “I call on my colleagues in the Senate and the public to be critical and vigilant about these fresh attempts for Charter change. It is obvious how far they are willing to go to pass Cha-cha,” Drilon said in a statement. Drilon said the pronouncements issued by the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments chaired by Alfredo Garbin Jr. showed how far the supermajority in the House of Representatives would go to railroad Charter change. Garbin has claimed his panel is already sitting as a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) since they resumed the hearing on the proposed amendments to the “restrictive” economic provisions in the Constitution. “They hijacked the powers of a Constituent Assembly. They bypassed the plenary powers of Congress. They basically hijacked the Senate,” he remarked. “It sets a dangerous precedent. They are testing the waters. I see a sinister agenda behind this baseless,” Drilon said. “Aba, Round 1 pa lang nagkakadayaan na (We’re still on Round 1 and they are already cheating). How can we even trust them?” he pointed out.
Lacson: Is gov’t favoring Sinovac?: Galvez: Chinese vaccine affordable, stable | Malaya Business Insight – Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday asked the national government to explain its apparent preference of the COVID-19 vaccine made by China’s Sinovac Biotech over other available vaccines when it is expensive and was reported to be less effective. Lacson made the statement after Malacañang said that Sinovac is the only available vaccine until June. He said Sinovac, a privately-owned Chinese company whose product›s efficacy is at 50-70 percent, “appears to have the edge” even over China›s state-owned Sinopharm whose vaccine has a 79-86 percent efficacy and is used in the United Arab Emirates. Sinovac, maker of CoronaVac, is also the second most expensive vaccine at P3,629 per two doses, he said. «Can somebody explain why preference is given to the second most expensive vaccine, has lower efficacy, a record of suspended clinical trials and has not even applied for EUA (emergency use authorization) over other vaccines that cost much less, are more efficacious and are about to be granted their emergency use authorization?» Lacson asked on Twitter. «That said, the national government should expedite the procurement of all qualified and available vaccines. To borrow Secretary Harry Roque Jr.›s words, it should not be choosy in buying vaccines,» he added.
