Caloocan Mayor Malapitan asks residents to trust COVID vaccines

BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS

Caloocan City Mayor Oca Malapitan has called on his constituents to maintain their trust in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines, claiming the death of a 54-year-old male resident was not in any way “connected” with his Sinovac inoculation.

Malapitan said no less than the Department of Health (DoH) conducted the investigation and it declared that the death of the resident who suffered stroke was not caused by getting a Sinovac jab.

Malapitan said that the local government is ensuring the safety of those getting vaccinated by requiring them to undergo screening, counselling, and monitoring so residents have nothing to worry.

“Mayroon po tayong mga doktor sa bawat vaccination center na silang nagsasagawa ng interview at assessment upang matiyak na pumasa ang babakunahan sa guidelines ng mga dapat bakunahan,” Malapitan said in a statement.

Malapitan’s statement came after the daughter of a male resident claimed in a Facebook post on April 9 that “because of Sinovac,” his father, who had diabetes and hypertension, was rushed to hospital when he experienced breathing difficulty, vomiting and headache after receiving the jab. His father also eventually suffered from stroke.

Both the DoH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said after conducting assessment that “the COVID-19 vaccine did not cause the stroke, the adverse event is inconsistent with the causal association to the vaccine, and the adverse event is coincidental to underlying or emerging conditions of the patient.”

“The DoH and FDA strongly emphasize that vaccines are safe and effective in affording protection against COVID-19 and in preventing the severe form of COVID-19,” the DoH statement issued Sunday read.

In the evening of Sunday, April 11, the daughter said in a Facebook post that his father had already passed away.