More than 16 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country in July.
In President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Talk to the People, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez reported that the country is also expecting the shipment of more than 3 million Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccines, which is a donation by the United States (U.S.) through the COVAX Facility of the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Ang malaking inaasahan po natin ay ang pagdating ng U.S. donation through COVAX na J&J na 3,024,000 na single-shot. Parang 6-M doses ang katumbas nito,” he said.
Galvez said that the J&J vaccines will be allotted for senior citizens and persons with comorbidities. However, every region of the country will be given 100,000 doses each.
Aside from the U.S., Japan has also donated over 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines to the Philippines through the COVAX facility.
The coverage for the vaccine Pfizer is also expected to expand since Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Eric Domingo said that the emergency use authorization has been granted for the said vaccine to be used on children aged 12 and above.
“Once mag-expand po ang ating vaccination program, we have at least one vaccine now that can be used on children,” he explained.
Report from Sweeden Velado-Ramirez/NGS-rir
