Charles Teves
President Rodrigo Duterte has garnered criticism after Malacañang told the public that the reason he would get the COVID-19 vaccination in private is because he’d rather take a jab in his buttocks.
On Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made it clear that this is the sole reason for Duterte’s “final” decision to get a dose privately.
“I think so, he has said so. Sabi nga niya dahil sa puwet siya magpapasaksak so hindi pwedeng in public,” Roque said.
Experts haven’t recommended that buttocks be considered a COVID-19 vaccine injection site which is why people found it hard to determine if Duterte was just joking or being serious.
U.S. CDC: “The buttocks should not be routinely used as a vaccination site for infants and children; and, to avoid injury to the sciatic nerves, they are generally not used in adults.”
So, possible pa kung baby. Baby po ba ang pangulo?https://t.co/udHDUktfcM pic.twitter.com/qma1TJklnc
— Barnaby Lo (@barnabychuck) January 26, 2021
How to promote public awareness and vaccine confidence: duterte style
A) educate the lay
B) get the vaccine w/ high efficiency rate + good safety profile
C) isangkalan ang pwet para yung vaccine of choice ang maiturok https://t.co/33bmA2Z8GF— The Nerdy Derma (@thenerdyderma) January 26, 2021
A new COVID-19 variant is in the Philippines and the only thing that this govt can offer is magpapaturok sa pwet si Duterte. We are in deep sh*t.
— Free Leila Movement ✋ (@FreeLeilaNow) January 27, 2021
Senator Leila de Lima thinks this is just another diversion tactic of the president to “cover up” his recent and “illegal” vaccination efforts.
Is anyone really buying his story that he's opting to have his vaccine injected in his rear? None of the top world leaders did so. The more plausible story is that he's most likely making up a story to cover up his prior illegal vaccination.
READ: https://t.co/YWZDm02xLq
— Leila de Lima (@SenLeiladeLima) January 28, 2021
https://twitter.com/JongGabriel/status/1354317662000619520?s=20
But some cities in China have already started taking samples from the anus to determine whether someone is a possible carrier of the disease that has killed millions worldwide.
An official from the city of Weinan recently said that a 52-year old man exhibiting coronavirus symptoms initially tested negative for COVID-19. But after taking an anal swab surprisingly tested positive.
When taking samples via anal, a cotton swab is inserted 3 to 5 centimetres and is then rotated. This method according to Dr. Zhang Wenhong of Huashan Hospital in Shanghai also helps in minimizing relapse after recovery.
“There may be traces of the coronavirus detected in the abdominal cavity faeces and intestine,” Zhang was quoted as saying in a Global Times report.
Dr. Li Tongzeng, a respiratory and infectious disease specialist in Beijing explained that samples from the anus have a longer duration of detectability compared to samples from the respiratory tract.
Duterte critics joke that he only wants to do it private because China has commenced anal swab testing.
I guess this is why Duterte is making patira sa pwet pic.twitter.com/Tuk1ONMJgU
— Kix Suarez (@kixsuarez) January 28, 2021
Duterte has become an embarrassment at this point, netizens say.
All we wanna see is Duterte's SALN and why his family's wealth increased. Bakit mo kami bibigyan ng pwet?
— greenyy (@imthegreench) January 27, 2021
https://twitter.com/yshmaellelarosa/status/1354285860129099778?s=20
https://twitter.com/mavsnificient/status/1354282842755219457?s=20
So far, it has only been China taking anal swab tests. Vaccination programs in other nations injecting in the arm area and nowhere near the buttocks.
Previous vaccines did target the buttocks but the recommended sites are the arms.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recommended the buttocks be considered an injection site for COVID-19 vaccines.
“The buttocks should not be routinely used as a vaccination site for infants and children; and, to avoid injury to the sciatic nerves, they are generally not used in adults, The central region of the buttocks should be avoided for all injections.” it said.
Duterte hasn’t made it clear which vaccine he’ll be taking, but he has always leaned towards China’s Sinovac or the Sputnik V by Russia.
So far, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for emergency use in the country.
Last year in August, Duterte said he’d take the Russian vaccine in public.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also said that he’d try to convince the president to fulfill this promise to encourage the public to do the same.
