MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Friday vouched for the safety of influenza vaccines in the country are safe, as it pushes through with its national immunization program amid concerns on the safety of such medication in Singapore.
The neighboring city-state of Singapore halted the use of two flu vaccines after some people who received them in South Korea died.
The decision to halt the use of SKYCellflu Quadrivalent and VaxigripTetra was precautionary, Singapore’s health ministry and the Health Sciences Authority (HAS) said in a statement late on Sunday.
“We in the Philippines, we also undertake EEFI, or regular surveillance of flu vaccine and as of this time, there’s no reported EEFI with flu vaccine in the country,” Assistant to the Health Secretary Beverly Ho said in an online media forum.
She further gave assurance that the Food and Drug Administration has checked the logs and batches of flu vaccines that are being investigated and none have so far been found here in the Philippines.
“Our flu vaccines are safe and the national immunization program of the DOH will continue to push through as planned and other vaccination activities,” Ho said.
“We will continue to monitor and issue warnings if ever it will be needed for future instances,” she added.