The government is now finalizing supply agreements for the COVID-19 vaccines that the country will acquire.
According to Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr., the details surrounding the vaccines including date of payment and delivery will be tackled in the supply agreements. Term sheets have been signed with five unnamed pharmaceutical companies with vaccine products reportedly having good clinical trial results.
“We have already completed term sheets of the five vaccines companies and we were able to secure 108 million doses. We are now preparing for the supply agreements and finalizing all the contracts for 148 million doses by mid-February 2021,” Galvez said during the Palace briefing on Tuesday.
Galvez admitted that the government has been feeling the strain of some countries’ reported hoarding to acquire supply of vaccines, citing that more than 80 percent of global vaccine supply has been taken by wealthy nations.
“More or less 53 countries lang ang nagro-roll-out, pero 70 percent ng roll-out po nito ay sa 4 na mayayaman na bansa lang po…Tayo po ay nagkukumahog po to get the volumes (More or less 53 have rolled out and only four rich countries account for the 70 percent… We are rushing to get the volumes),” Galvez disclosed during the Laging Handa briefing.
Meanwhile, the preparation of local government units in Metro Manila for the rollout of vaccines has been lauded. More vaccinators and establishing vaccination centers were recommended to the LGUs.
Cebu and Davao will be visited in the coming weeks to check and support their preparations.
“Hindi namin sila bibigyan ng bakuna hangga’t hindi sila ready. Ayaw po talaga namin na may masayang na bakuna (We will not give them vaccines if they are not ready. We do not want to waste vaccines),” Galvez said.
Based on the 2021 vaccine rollout plan, the mini rollout in the first quarter will focus on protection and preservation of the health system. This will be followed by protection of priority sectors or institutions and poor communities including economic frontliners in the second quarter.
The full rollout is set in the last two quarters of the year which covers the general public and the remaining population. – Report From Mark Fetalco
