Governor Jonvic Remulla said Friday the clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines to be participated by Cavite residents would start in the next two weeks.
Remulla said in a television interview that the local government already identified participants, which include police officers, drivers of public transport vehicles, factory workers, and senior citizens.
“It’s not Cavite per se but Cavite and La Salle HSI, the medical school. They have a very good track record in epidemiology, and they’re the ones being tasked to join in this medical trial. Cavite will help La Salle HSI in getting the high-risk people in joining the vaccine trial. It should start in the next two weeks,” Remulla told ANC.
The Cavite governor said the residents would undergo swab testing first before being joining the clinical trials.
Remulla added the COVID-19 clinical trials would not focus on a single barangay but the entire Cavite.
He also said the results of the trials would come out after a month.
Remulla explained the La Salle coordinated the conduct of the trial with the Department of Health.
“I’ve been very clear, it’s spearheaded by La Salle. La Salle has been in coordination with DOH, but La Salle cannot do it on its own, so they’re partnering with us,” the governor said.
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COVID-19 clinical trials in Cavite
Remulla earlier announced that 10,000 individuals from Cavite would join in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines from pharmaceutical companies in the United States and the United Kingdom.
“Malapit na sumailalim sa Phase 3 field trial ng dalawang kilalang pharmaceutical giant. Kasama sa pag-aaral ay ang mahigit sa 10,000 volunteer recipients ng experimental vaccine,” Remulla said a statement posted on Facebook.
(It will soon undergo a Phase 3 field trial of two well-known pharmaceutical giants. The study included more than 10,000 volunteer recipients of the experimental vaccine.)
Remulla, however, did not specify when the experimental trial would begin. He did not also name the two pharmaceutical companies.
According to the Cavite governor, 5,000 people will receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while the other 5,000 will get a placebo.