Palace says Sinopharm booster had no side effects on Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte did not experience adverse effects after getting a Sinopharm booster shot against COVID-19 even if there is no data yet showing Sinopharm is an appropriate booster, the Palace said Wednesday.

"Wala naman poing masamang epekto kay President Duterte [ang Sinopharm] sa pagkakaalam namin," acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in One News interview.

(He did not experience adverse effects as far as we know.)

Nograles made the response when asked to elaborate why Sinopharm booster jab was administered to the Chief Executive even if the country's vaccine experts panel has yet to recommend Sinopharm as booster due to lack of data both from abroad and the manufacturer of the Chinese vaccine.

"The vaccine given to the President, including his primary dose [of two-dose Sinopharm] is between him and his personal physician," Nograles added.

Nograles, however, could not say the timeline on when the country's experts would release their recommendation on what would be the appropriate booster for Sinopharm which was also administered to the public.

"Our experts panel are in touch with the Sinopharm manufacturers for the data so that the proper recommendation for its booster can be issued as soon as possible," Nograles said.

Nograles earlier disclosed that Duterte already got a booster shot against COVID-19 and that it was Sinopharm.

"Sa declaration niya kagabi sa Talk to the People, it appears na nakapag-booster na si Pangulo at Sinopharm ang nagamit," he said last January 7. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News