Was Sen. Richard Gordon admitted to a hospital after receiving his second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19?
False anti-vaccine claims have been circulating across messaging platforms that the chairperson of the Philippine Red Cross was hospitalized. The message reads:
Breaking News:
Senator Richard Gordon admitted to hospital last night and is now in ICU after 2nd dose of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine. Let’s include him in our prayers. Thank you!
Gordon on July 29 was admitted to the Makati Medical Center due to COVID-19. Initial findings revealed that he was suffering from COVID-related pneumonia.
The senator had shared that he was already fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s.
He said in his statement that he was already “feeling much better…. despite still having pneumonia.”
“I am on the fourth day of treatment with Remdesivir, and have been told by my doctors that I will remain confined until I am no longer contagious,” Gordon said.
He also encouraged the public to get vaccinated by whichever brand is available to them.
“Had I not been vaccinated, this bout with COVID could be much worse.”
“I encourage everyone for whom a vaccine has been made available to go and get yourselves vaxxed (vaccinated). It is effective in minimizing the transmission of the virus and in preventing serious illness,” the senator said.
“In line with this, I encourage government, the private sector, and humanitarian and civic organizations to work together to procure more vaccines and efficiently get our people vaccinated,” Gordon added.
The COVID-19 vaccines available in the country have been granted emergency use authorization by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.
As such, these are all considered safe and effective.
Those that have been distributed among the public so far are Sinovac, Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik V, Johnson&Johnson and AstraZeneca.
The Department of Health says that these vaccines “cannot” make one sick with COVID-19.
“Vaccines mimic the virus or bacteria that causes disease and triggers the body’s creation of antibodies. These antibodies will provide protection once a person is infected with the actual disease-causing virus or bacteria,” it said on its website.
