From day to day, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the Philippines grow. President Rodrigo Duterte claimed last Thursday night that “killer antibodies” are about to come out. The allegedly capable of curing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be rolled out in a few days.
President Duterte’s Address
The President stated that pharmaceutical giants had developed an antibody treatment for COVID-19 set to roll out in May. It may possibly lift the Luzon-wide quarantine once they are delivered to the Philippines.
“The experiments are getting into high gear. Baka makakita tayo ng lunas in a few days,” he said in a televised address. “Sabi, ang bakuna is about 2021 [lalabas]. Pero ‘yung ibang medisina, ‘yung mga killer antibodies, andiyan na ata,” he said. “Kung mabili ‘yan in mass production, mabigyan ng quota ‘yung Pilipinas, I will lift the [quarantine]. Ang medisina lang kailangan ko.”
“Usually, magkuha ka kasi doon sa patay, kunan mo ng dugo niya, i-inject mo doon sa kabayo. ‘Yung kabayo, kaya niyang nang ano… Dahan-dahan lang, hanggang ma-immune. ‘Pag marami nang antibodies ‘yung kabayo, doon na kunin ‘yung maraming [dugo].” However, he clarified the he is not a doctor instead a lawyer but has an idea about how things work.
Dr. Marissa Alejandria’s Statement
According to Dr. Marissa Alejandria of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases “Wala pa talaga tayong magic drug na napag-aralan na na-establish sa mga clinical trial na epektibo at safe na gamitin para sa COVID-19.” “Itong mga gamot na ito, nakita sa laboratoryo na puwede siyang labanan ‘yung virus, ‘yung SARS-CoV-2… pero lahat ‘yan ay sa eksperimento lang at hindi pa siya ‘yung tinatawag natin na clinical trial para masabi na sila talaga ang pinaka-epektibong gamot sa COVID,” Alejandria explained.
However Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also clarified that the antibody treatments talked by Duterte in his briefing on Monday are still being studied by experts.
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