14-04-2021

wednesday, april 14, 2021
2
Philippines' Duterte says will
'waive' Covid-19 vaccine
MANILA : Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte said he will "waive" his chance to get a
Covid-19 vaccine, arguing elderly people like
him should not be prioritised.
Just over one million people in the
Philippines have received their first shot since
the beginning of March - a fraction of the
number needed to reach herd immunity in the
country of 110 million.
The slow rollout and limited supply have
fuelled criticism of the government's handling
of the pandemic as a record surge in infections
threatens to overwhelm hospitals in the
locked-down capital and surrounding
provinces.
The vaccination campaign initially targeted
healthcare workers and soldiers, but it has
since widened to include the elderly and those
with co-morbidities. While many world
leaders received their jab in public to
encourage others to get inoculated, Duterte
said he would forgo the opportunity.
"I will waive. Whoever wants to get my slot,
I will give (it to them)," he said in a prerecorded
speech released Monday.
"Let's prioritise those who, once they get a
vaccine, there's a chance that he would live and
live productively," said the 76-year-old, after a
two-week absence from the public eye that
fuelled speculation he had Covid-19.
"Most of the senior citizens are no longer
that productive."
Vaccines have been a frequent topic in
Duterte's often rambling speeches. His
spokesman Harry Roque has previously
walked back on his comments.
6 dead, 3 injured
in south China
traffic accident
NANNING : Six people were
killed and three others
injured in a traffic accident in
the city of Hechi, south
China's Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region, local
authorities said Tuesday.
The accident happened at
around 6:55 a.m. when a
heavy truck suddenly lost
control, ran off the road and
crashed into a villager and a
van carrying eight people.
The injured are receiving
treatment in hospital. Drunk
driving was ruled out after a
preliminary investigation,
and further investigation is
underway.
GD-663/21 (4x4)
GD-668/21 (5x4)
GD-665/21 (6x4)
GD-660/21 (8x4)