By Filane Mikee Cervantes/ Philippine News Agency
The fresh batch of more than 1.3 million doses of Moderna’s anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine that arrived in the country on Friday would augment the government’s vaccine supply for the conduct of the national vaccination drive from November 29 to December 1.
A total of 1,306,000 government-procured Moderna doses arrived via a China Airlines flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
Deputy Presidential Peace Adviser Undersecretary Isidro Purisima, who led the officials who welcomed the shipment, said the additional doses would help ramp up the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program, particularly the mass immunization event dubbed as “Bayanihan Bakunahan”, which aims to vaccinate 15 million individuals over three days.
“We have enough vaccines for the ramping up of our vaccination. We are encouraging our people to be vaccinated, and we will have national vaccine days,” Purisima told reporters.
The shipment, he said, brings the total COVID-19 vaccine doses delivered to the country at more than 130 million.
“This will be our best gift for ourselves, for our family, and for our community, and the Filipino people,” he added.
Purisima assured that there would be enough vaccines as the government began administering booster shots for health care workers (HCWs) on Wednesday, with senior citizens and persons with co-morbidities set to get theirs starting next week.
The government targets to complete the administration of booster shots to at least 1.6 million health care workers by end-November and it will be followed by other priority sectors.
The National Vaccine Operations Center is currently drafting guidelines for the booster vaccination of senior citizens and those who are immuno-compromised. (PNA) -rir
