DOH-7 denies mayor injected with actual Sinovac during Lapu’s vaccine simex

A worker jabs Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan with a placebo during the city’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout simulation exercise held at Barangay Pajo’s gymnasium on March 3, 2021. | CDN DIgital Photo by Futch Anthony Inso

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Lapu-Lapu City on Wednesday, March 3, successfully conducted its simulation exercise for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine rollout.

The activity, which spanned up to an hour, was led by Mayor Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan and under the supervision of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7).

And both the city government and the regional health office denied that Chan received an actual shot of CoronaVac, Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine brand.

“There was no actual vaccination to the mayor or to the participants. It was a check on the processes,” said Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH-7 spokesperson, who was also present during Wednesday’s activity.

Initial information sent to members of the media claimed that Chan allegedly received a real first dose of Sinovac during Wednesday’s simulation.

But Loreche said health officials participating in Lapu-Lapu City’s vaccination simulation exercise injected the mayor with placebo, a substance typically used for control groups in COVID-19 vaccine trials.

“We don’t actually do (and recommend) that injecting (of placebo). But the mayor wanted to show the people that it’s ok. He (Chan) agreed for water or normal saline solution,” added Loreche.

Lapu-Lapu’s vaccination drill, held in the gymnasium of Barangay Pajo, was also broadcasted and recorded through Facebook Live in which Chan announced he will be returning to the venue this March 31 for his ‘second dose’.

But according to DOH-7, the mayor ‘only intended in doing so to show his constituents the actual and complete vaccination process’.

“This was intended for the run-through for the entire process from registration to medical screening to counseling and actual vaccination and the monitoring for any adverse events reactions… That is to tell his constituents that it is the right process,” Loreche explained.

Chan also made a statement after the event, proudly announcing Lapu-Lapu City as the first local government unit (LGU) in Central Visayas to successfully conduct a vaccine simulation exercise.

“Kini nagpasabot nga andam na ta alang sa Phase 1 sa atong Covid-19 Vaccination Program diin mga frontline healthcare worker ang prayoridad (This just goes to show that we are ready for Phase 1 of our COVID-19 vaccination program wherein our frontline healthcare workers are the priority),” said Chan.

Around 7,200 vials of CoronaVac arrived in Cebu from Manila last Tuesday, March 4, and are currently stored in Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

Cebu is expected to officially kick-off the vaccine rollout with a ceremony at VSMMC this Thursday, March 4.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque are also expected to attend.

Loreche said that as of March 2, they already tallied 768 healthcare workers of VSMMC who volunteered to be administered with Sinovac.

She also assured the public that the 7,200 doses of Sinovac, the first shipment of COVID-19 Cebu received, have not been distributed to local governments as these are intended primarily for medical frontliners.

Cebu and Davao City are the only places outside Metro Manila that are part of the national government’s priority areas for the COVID-19 inoculation drive. /rcg

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