Around 30 to 40 million doses of free COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be acquired by the Philippines from the COVAX Facility.
According to Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr., the vaccines will possibly be delivered to the country on the first quarter. The COVAX Facility provides its members states access to COVID-19 vaccines.
“Ikinagagalak ko po na ibalita na ang ating COVAX facility para sa Pilipinas ay naaprubahan na po. Mayroon po tayong 30 to 40 million na doses for free para po sa lahat sa ating mga kababayan (I am delighted to announce that the COVAX facility [supply] for the Philippines has been approved. We have 30 to 40 million free doses for our people).”
Among the vaccines the country will receive are developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson.
Galvez assured that the country has sufficient cold storage facilities to hold millions of doses of the vaccines.
Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech of India has applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine. The Indian company is the fourth developer to apply for EUA approval in the Philippines.
– Report from Mark Fetalco
