and GERARD NAVAL
PRESIDENT Duterte is willing to allow the Philippines to participate in clinical trials of potential cure or vaccines for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has affected at least 1.8 million individuals globally since its outbreak in China in December last year, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Wednesday.
The disease has killed at least 117,000 in 210 countries and territories.
The Philippines has 5,453 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday with 349 deaths, making it the country with the most number of cases in Southeast Asia.
Nograles said the President, during the virtual meeting of leaders of Japan, China, South Korea, and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), discussed the anti-flu drug Avigan which is being used in clinical trials in China for COVID-19 patients.
“The President had an exchange with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarding this drug. And during the meeting, reiterated that the Philippines is ready to participate in clinical trials of potential vaccines like Avigan,” Nograles said.
The Philippines is already a participant in the “Solidarity Trial” led by the World Health Organization, involving at least 45 countries as of mid-March when the study was launched to compare the safety and effectiveness of four drugs against COVID-19.
Nograles said Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo informed the leaders that about 50 countries that are interested in studying the use of the Avigan and had also “gave special mention to President Duterte in this regard.”
Avigan is being made by Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp which said it has expanded manufacturing capacity to “significantly increase” production of the anti-flu medicine. Fujifilm is conducting clinical trials of Avigan on patients of COVID-19. China’s tests using Avigan involves 80 cases from Shenzhen and 120 cases from Wuhan. The reportedly shortened the recovery time for patients with mild symptoms of coronavirus.
The President the other day said a big pharmaceutical firm are developing an “antibody treatment” for COVID-19 patients. He did not give details but said that he may lift the lockdown being enforced in Luzon if vaccines or treatments are already available.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said an “antibody treatment” for COVID-19 is under study.
“Much like other medicines versus COVID-19 previously mentioned, all of these are still being studied by doctors and experts,” she said in a press briefing.
She said it is at the level not different from studies under the “Solidarity Trial.”
She explained there are two types of treatments using antibodies that are being looked into. One uses a medicine that imitates antibodies, called “humanize monoclonal antibodies,” which are antibodies from non-humans. The other is the “convalescent plasma therapy,” wherein the plasma from the blood of a recovered patient is transferred to another patient.
As for rapid antibody-based tests, Vergeire said test kit is actually looking to detect either of the two types of antibodies, identified as “IgG” or “IgM.”
The IgM is the one that comes out when the test is conducted within five to seven days from the transmission of the virus. She said the IgM usually comes out during the acute phase of the illness, wherein the symptoms are still present and is contagious.
The IgG manifests only after 21 days from acquiring the disease. Vergeire said the IgG usually comes out during the convalescent phase of the illness, wherein the patient is already recovering and is already developing immunity.
The DOH has repeatedly said rapid test kits are not stand-alone methods to determine if one has COVID-19 or not.
TEST FOR VISITORS
The Presidential security Group (PSG) is requiring all visitors of President Duterte “to undergo regular screening procedures which includes rapid testing to detect COVID1-9 infection,” PSG Commander Col. Jesus Durante III said.
“The procedure exempts nobody and is even administered to high-ranking government officials, PSG troopers, and close-in personnel who always accompany the President,” he said.
Durante said those who test positive will not be allowed to enter the facility especially if the concerned party is already manifesting fever and other symptoms related to COVID-19.
He said the rapid test would be in addition to current medical assessments and stringent measures.
“PSG does not claim that the results of the rapid tests are definite and absolute. It is still subject for confirmation through RT-PCR tests (polymerase chain reaction) administered by RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine),” he said.
