Filipino Mayor Warns Public About “Vaccine Scammers” Selling Pfizer Vials for $1,240

• Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has issued a warning against “vaccine scammers” offering Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines for $1,240 per 50 vials.
• According to the mayor, all legitimate vaccine purchases are coursed through the national government.
• Other agencies have likewise reminded the public about the dangers of buying or using unregistered coronavirus vaccines.

Mayor Vico Sotto of Pasig City, Philippines has recently warned the public about “vaccine scammers” trying to sell supposed Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccines for Php 60,000 (around US$ 1,240) per 50 vials.

According to Sotto, he spotted a social media post offering the product bearing the American pharmaceutical giant’s  name. He reminded people not to buy from such sources and to immediately inform the authorities in case they encounter them online.

Don’t be fooled!

Beware!! Wag bumili sa mga ganito! Picture pa lang kita nang mali ang handling. Maglolokohan lang kayo niyan.

Dapat dumaan sa nasyonal na pamahalaan ang pagbili ng kahit anong bakuna. For our safety.

Health care frontliners din po ang mauunang bakunahan. pic.twitter.com/fX3xj6wA9X

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) February 15, 2021

The young mayor wrote on Twitter last Monday, urging his constituents to be cautious about the scammers. He said in a mix of English and Filipino:

“Beware!! Do not buy from these sources. From the photo alone, you can see the vials are obviously mishandled… Any vaccine purchases should go through the national government. For our safety.”

“Health care frontliners will be the first to receive the vaccine,” Sotto, 31, likewise pointed out.

Meanwhile, a neonatologist-pediatrician saw the official’s  and shared that the vaccines aren’t actually for Covid but are “PCV13” or vaccines against pneumococcal disease.

Twitter user @Simply_Clinton said:

“I was able to administer this prep of PCV vaccine in the past months.”

In the past, the Department of Health, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and the Food and Drug Administration have issued a warning regarding reports of unauthorized sale of unregistered coronavirus vaccines.

“The safety and quality of vaccines purchased unlawfully cannot be guaranteed as these may be counterfeit or have not been transported in the right temperature (cold chain),”according to the agencies. “The public is reminded that counterfeit or spoiled vaccines may result in serious harm or injury, even death.”

Meanwhile, FDA Director-General Eric Domingo assured that Covid-19 vaccines will be free for the public under the government’s vaccination program.