As in other parts of the world, breakthrough infections or illnesses of COVID-19 have also been recorded among those fully vaccinated in the Philippines.
Based on data released by the Food and Drug Administration on August 29, 242 of those fully vaccinated with the vaccine still fell ill, of which 5 died.
In total, 180 were vaccinated with Sinovac, of which 4 died.
A total of 47 fully vaccinated AstraZeneca were affected by COVID-19, 4 of those given the Pfizer vaccine, and 11 of those vaccinated by Janssen, in which 1 died.
But FDA Director-General Eric Domingo explained that these numbers are still minimal compared to the total number of vaccine recipients.
It is also not surprising that Sinovac and AstraZeneca have the most recorded breakthrough infections because those 2 vaccines were the first to be used in the country that has been injected into more people.
“Most cases getting breakthrough infections would be 18 to 44-year-olds. Lahat ito for all vaccines tapos,” said Domingo.
“When it comes to mortality, ‘yong breakthrough mortalities puro senior citizens kasi ‘yong mas matanda ang mas malaking chance na magkaroon ng severe COVID,” he added.
Acquiring COVID-19 after vaccination is also considered an adverse event.
Breakthrough infections recorded among vaccinated in PH: FDA
According to FDA data, of those who received 2 doses of the vaccine, more than 6.8 million Filipinos, 227 or 0.0033 percent, were still affected by COVID.
Of the more than 4.8 million Filipinos who received 1 dose of the vaccine, 353 contracted COVID, and 49 died. 353 is 0.0073 percent of the number of those with the first dose.
“What we can say is that the pattern is very similar for all of them na talagang after the first dose, maghihintay ka ng 2 weeks, bababa na ‘yong incidence. After the second dose, mas lalong bababa,” said Domingo.
As it is only the sixth month since the first vaccinated received their second dose, Domingo said it is not yet clear whether the protection provided by the vaccine has been reduced, specifically by Sinovac, which was first distributed to frontliners.
Domingo said the data only proves that the vaccine provides good protection against severe COVID-19 and death.
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