MISAMIS ORIENTAL (PIA)—“We've said it before and we'll say it again. All of the vaccines that the government and the Department of Health (DOH) provide are safe and effective, regardless of brand, source, or manufacturer.”

Dr. David Mendoza, Local Health Support Chief of the Department of Health Region 10, emphasized this at an episode of the Talakayan sa PIA: COVID Series.

With some people clamoring for a specific brand of vaccine, Mendoza pointed out that the most effective vaccine is the one that is accessible, whether it is made by AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Gamaleya, Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. All of these vaccines can protect a person from becoming infected with COVID-19.

Mendoza also explained that the “Made in” factor that others consider does not necessarily have significance when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccines since all of these [vaccines] had undergone the required testing procedures by pharmaceutical laboratories and had been examined by various Food and Drug Administration worldwide.

“These vaccines are all the same. These are effective to protect us from coronavirus. Despite having different pharmaceutical manufacturers and platforms of technology, the vaccines are all safe and effective in keeping an individual from being severely infected with COVID 19, which can lead to death,” he said.

Mendoza further explained that our country has been using Sinovac technology for years, such as anti-tetanus and anti-polio. Hence, there is no reason to be worried or anxious about the CoronaVac (Sinovac) vaccines, he added.

With all this shared knowledge and information, Mendoza reiterated that the available vaccines are the most effective for COVID-19 prevention. He urged everyone to get inoculated so that everybody in the family and the entire community will be protected. “The benefit of being vaccinated outweighs the risk,” he said. (JAKA/PIA10)