Malacañang on Thursday announced the donated COVID-19 vaccines developed by Sinovac of China will arrive on Sunday, February 28.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque disclosed the vaccine which will arrive three days from now will be received by officials. He recently reported that President Rodrigo Duterte wants to personally witness the arrival of initial vaccine shipment.
The vaccines can still be administered to medical frontliners considered as “first priority” during the rollout which is expected to begin on Monday.
“Puwede silang humindi at puwede silang maghintay without losing their priority kasi iyan naman po ang nakasulat sa EUA. Pero masusunod naman po iyong order of priority (They can say no and wait without losing their priority because that is what’s written in the EUA),” Roque explained.
The National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) has set the following priority population groups for vaccination as of Feb. 4, 2021:
A1: Health Care Workers
A2: Senior Citizens
A3: Persons With Comorbidities
A4: Uniformed Personnel, Economic Frontliners
A5: Indigent Population
B1: Teachers, Social Workers
B2: Other Government Workers
B3: Other Essential Workers
B4: Other High-Risk People
B5: Overseas Filipino Workers
B6: Other Remaining Workforce
C: Remaining Population
The Department of Health (DOH) and the National Task Force COVID-19 in a joint statement, however, noted “specific details as to the allocation and subsequent rollout of the 600,000 donated SINOVAC doses are still being evaluated pending the official recommendation of the NITAG and its approval by the IATF-EID.”
The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) which has long been considered as initial beneficiary of vaccines assured its preparedness to accept the doses.
“Whatever vaccines come, we should welcome it… We all know that if the FDA gives a vaccine an EUA, the safety and efficacy are assured,” PGH Dir. Gap Legaspi ensured.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian in a separate statement described the donation as “another testament to the solidarity as well as profound friendship and partnership” between the two nations. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
