By Pearl Gumapos
A total of 2,020,590 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the Philippines on Sunday night (Sept. 19) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
The vaccines were donated by the U.S. through the COVAX Facility.
The shipment was welcomed by National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava, and W.H.O. Representative in the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe.
According to Galvez, the newly received vaccines will be given to priority areas such as Region 4-A, Region 3, Region 6, Region 7, Region 11, Region 9, Region 1, and Region 2.
“Nakikita natin ngayon na tumataas na rin sa La Union at sa ibang areas dito sa northern areas so we will give these vaccines to those mostly in need of this,” Galvez said.
“We are trying to convince our elderly, our A2 and A3, to take this vaccine because this is the time [cases are rising up], and we want these vaccines to be given to them,” he added.
Galvez then thanked the U.S. for the donation.
“We would like to thank the WHO for this donation, especially the US. Thank you very much. The President is very grateful for providing us the needed vaccines,” he said. – bny
