At least two million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the country this month despite the ongoing global supply shortage, Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. assured on Tuesday.
The new vaccine supply deliveries this April include 1.5 million doses from China’s Sinovac and 500,000 doses from Russia’s Gamaleya. The former is expected to be delivered next week and the latter on April 12.
“Mayroon na po tayong apat na nai-close na supply agreement and also pina-finalize na namin iyong supply agreement sa Johnson and Johnsons (We have closed four supply agreements and we are finalizing a supply agreement with Johnson and Johnsons),” Galvez disclosed.
“We are also having iyong mga signatures ng mga tripartite agreement natin. So all in all mayroon tayong 138 [million] na doses na inaasahan. (We are also having signatures for the tripartite agreement. All in all, we are expecting 138 million doses),” Galvez added.
More or less 13.5 million doses are expected in July and 20 million more doses each for August and September.
Based on the latest vaccine rollout report of the NTF Chief Implementer, the Philippines has administered 855,457 doses, ranking 50th out of 155 countries with the highest number of administered doses.
The country also placed fourth among ASEAN nations after Indonesia, Singapore, and Myanmar.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out that health protocols should remain in place despite the rollout of vaccines, saying it takes weeks before the vaccines take effect.
Meanwhile, President Duterte is set to meet select members of the IATF-EID on Wednesday which will be followed by a public address. Sec. Roque disclosed the meeting will not yet include the next quarantine classification. – Report from Mela Lesmoras/AG-jbb
