MANILA, Philippines — Frustrated by criticism of his vaccination with a COVID-19 jab not yet approved for the public, President Rodrigo Duterte is now asking China to take back its donation of 1,000 vaccines developed by Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd.

Duterte was inoculated with a Sinopharm jab administered by Health Secretary Duque III on Monday night. The surprise vaccination came after months of urging that Duterte get his jab in public to boost confidence in vaccines.

But Duterte opted to receive a vaccine covered by a special permit and not yet available to the rest of the country. The country’s Food and Drug Administration has not even begun processing Sinopharm’s emergency use application due to lacking documents.

READ MORE: https://aseanews.net/2021/05/07/covid-19-vaccines-manila-philippines-to-return-sinopharm-vaccines-to-china-after-duterte-apologizes-for-getting-jab/