Duterte pins hope on dev't of antibodies
Published Apr 17, 2020 12:00 am
By Genaly Kabiling
A potential "killer antibodies" treatment to the new coronavirus disease could be available "in a few days" as clinical research shifted into high gear, President Duterte bared on Thursday.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte addresses the nation on the government's efforts against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on April 16, 2020.( KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/MANILA BULLETIN)
The President said once the country gets access to such coronavirus treatment, he will readily lift the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
"The experiments are getting into a high gear baka makakita tayo ng lunas in a few days. Once there is the --- ‘yung maperfect nila (once they perfect it) and they are ready to market the medicine, I will lift immediately --- not a single --- not even a single moment of delay," he said during a public address Thursday night.
"Huwag na 'yung vaccine. Itong mga killer antibodies na lang. Kasi kung mabili 'yan in mass production, mabigyan ng quota ‘yung Pilipinas at supisyente (Not the vaccine. These killer antibodies for now. Because if that will be sold in mass production and the Philippines gets a sufficient quote) I will lift the...," he said.
Duterte admitted he would settle for the antibody treatment for now while the world races to find a vaccine to the new coronavirus disease.
A vaccine to the new coronavirus treatment may take a year to develop, according to the President.
He said Johnson & Johnson claimed it is "almost a mile away" or by 2021 to produce its potential coronavirus vaccine.
Other pharmaceutical firms have also conducted clinical studies on the potential cure.
"Ang bakuna is about 2021, ang bakuna. Pero ‘yung ibang medisina, ‘yung mga killer antibodies, nandiyan na ata. Pero ‘yung bakuna which should give us a permanent immunity sa sakit na ‘yan, wala pa. So itong killer baka pagkatapos --- you are not careful babalik rin (The vaccine is about 2021 but other medicines, the killer antibodies are there. But the vaccine which should give us a permanent immunity to the disease is not available. With the killer antibodies, it might come back if you're not careful)," he said.
"Ang medisina lang kailangan ko. Vaccine, 2021. Mga... Kumbaga ito kung bacteria, antibiotic, penicillin, ganun. So pinapatay 'yan hindi dahil sa katawan natin kung hindi dahil sa injection (I just need the medicine. Vaccine in 2021. Like if this is the bacteria, antibiotic, penicillin and the like can kill them not because of our bodies but because of the injection)," he added.
Duterte also stated that horses may be useful for antibody-based treatment for coronavirus. He said scientists could harvest antibody serum during equine treatment.
"Usually magkuha ka kasi ng doon sa patay, kunan mo ng dugo niya, i-inject mo doon sa kabayo (You may get antibodies from the dead and inject them into horses)," he said.
"Dahan-dahan lang hanggang ma-immune. Kapag marami ng antibodies 'yung kabayo, doon na kunin 'yung maraming...Dumaan na yan sa kabayo (It will gradually be immune. If there are antibodies in the horses, you may harvest them)," he added.
The President however quickly clarified that he is a lawyer, not a doctor. He said he would leave to the experts to decide on the health matters.
'First in Asia'
Meanwhile, the President claimed that the Philippines became the first country to impose a lockdown in Asia.
He described the enhanced community quarantine as a "cruel action" of the government needed to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. The social distancing measure, he added, has been a recommendation by experts to curb the outbreak.
"Kasi kung hindi ko ni-lockdown ang Pilipinas, nako… Nakita mo ‘yung mga bansa na, you know, hindi naman --- I don’t know if it’s… Kayabangan rin naman nila, ayaw (If I did not impose a lockdown in the Philippines, you've seen other counties. It might be hubris, they did not want to do it)," he said.
"But dito, tayo ang nauna sa Asia. Tayo talaga ang nauna sa Asia. Maybe, hindi naman ako nagyayabang, maybe because I was --- I was really --- talagang kinumpleto ko ‘yung pagka-Mayor ko para maalagaan ko kayo (But in Asia, we were the first. I don't want to boast but maybe because I was really the first. I really fulfilled my duty as mayor to take care of you)," he said.
He also admitted that the coronavirus must have entered the country without the knowledge of some carriers a few months ago.
The government started to implement a sweeping lockdown in Luzon last March 17 to contain the coronavirus spread. The quarantine rules, that included stay-at-home policy, suspension of public transport, alternative work arrangements, and travel restrictions, have been extended until the end of the month.
A temporary travel ban was imposed on travelers from China and its special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau back in early February.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte addresses the nation on the government's efforts against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on April 16, 2020.( KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/MANILA BULLETIN)
The President said once the country gets access to such coronavirus treatment, he will readily lift the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
"The experiments are getting into a high gear baka makakita tayo ng lunas in a few days. Once there is the --- ‘yung maperfect nila (once they perfect it) and they are ready to market the medicine, I will lift immediately --- not a single --- not even a single moment of delay," he said during a public address Thursday night.
"Huwag na 'yung vaccine. Itong mga killer antibodies na lang. Kasi kung mabili 'yan in mass production, mabigyan ng quota ‘yung Pilipinas at supisyente (Not the vaccine. These killer antibodies for now. Because if that will be sold in mass production and the Philippines gets a sufficient quote) I will lift the...," he said.
Duterte admitted he would settle for the antibody treatment for now while the world races to find a vaccine to the new coronavirus disease.
A vaccine to the new coronavirus treatment may take a year to develop, according to the President.
He said Johnson & Johnson claimed it is "almost a mile away" or by 2021 to produce its potential coronavirus vaccine.
Other pharmaceutical firms have also conducted clinical studies on the potential cure.
"Ang bakuna is about 2021, ang bakuna. Pero ‘yung ibang medisina, ‘yung mga killer antibodies, nandiyan na ata. Pero ‘yung bakuna which should give us a permanent immunity sa sakit na ‘yan, wala pa. So itong killer baka pagkatapos --- you are not careful babalik rin (The vaccine is about 2021 but other medicines, the killer antibodies are there. But the vaccine which should give us a permanent immunity to the disease is not available. With the killer antibodies, it might come back if you're not careful)," he said.
"Ang medisina lang kailangan ko. Vaccine, 2021. Mga... Kumbaga ito kung bacteria, antibiotic, penicillin, ganun. So pinapatay 'yan hindi dahil sa katawan natin kung hindi dahil sa injection (I just need the medicine. Vaccine in 2021. Like if this is the bacteria, antibiotic, penicillin and the like can kill them not because of our bodies but because of the injection)," he added.
Duterte also stated that horses may be useful for antibody-based treatment for coronavirus. He said scientists could harvest antibody serum during equine treatment.
"Usually magkuha ka kasi ng doon sa patay, kunan mo ng dugo niya, i-inject mo doon sa kabayo (You may get antibodies from the dead and inject them into horses)," he said.
"Dahan-dahan lang hanggang ma-immune. Kapag marami ng antibodies 'yung kabayo, doon na kunin 'yung maraming...Dumaan na yan sa kabayo (It will gradually be immune. If there are antibodies in the horses, you may harvest them)," he added.
The President however quickly clarified that he is a lawyer, not a doctor. He said he would leave to the experts to decide on the health matters.
'First in Asia'
Meanwhile, the President claimed that the Philippines became the first country to impose a lockdown in Asia.
He described the enhanced community quarantine as a "cruel action" of the government needed to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. The social distancing measure, he added, has been a recommendation by experts to curb the outbreak.
"Kasi kung hindi ko ni-lockdown ang Pilipinas, nako… Nakita mo ‘yung mga bansa na, you know, hindi naman --- I don’t know if it’s… Kayabangan rin naman nila, ayaw (If I did not impose a lockdown in the Philippines, you've seen other counties. It might be hubris, they did not want to do it)," he said.
"But dito, tayo ang nauna sa Asia. Tayo talaga ang nauna sa Asia. Maybe, hindi naman ako nagyayabang, maybe because I was --- I was really --- talagang kinumpleto ko ‘yung pagka-Mayor ko para maalagaan ko kayo (But in Asia, we were the first. I don't want to boast but maybe because I was really the first. I really fulfilled my duty as mayor to take care of you)," he said.
He also admitted that the coronavirus must have entered the country without the knowledge of some carriers a few months ago.
The government started to implement a sweeping lockdown in Luzon last March 17 to contain the coronavirus spread. The quarantine rules, that included stay-at-home policy, suspension of public transport, alternative work arrangements, and travel restrictions, have been extended until the end of the month.
A temporary travel ban was imposed on travelers from China and its special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau back in early February.