The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the “likely” delivery dates of the AstraZeneca vaccine under the COVAX facility will be publicized within the week after the Philippines submitted the necessary documents for the initial vaccine rollout.
“My understanding is that there’s no requirement in the case of AstraZeneca for further exchange of letters between the manufacturer and the Philippine government so we are optimistic that before the end of this week we will hear from the COVAX initiative on the likely delivery dates of AstraZeneca vaccines to the Philippines,” WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe disclosed.
Rep. Abeyasinghe shared that the WHO ordered the quick processing of the 5.5 million to 9.2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines that are expected to arrive in the Philippines from COVAX. Aside from AstraZeneca, the country has also received a side letter from Pfizer Tuesday morning.
“So we believe that within the day today or tomorrow, or whenever the legal teams have cleared those documents, we will see a resolution of that impasse and maybe there will be room to hear about when potential vaccine deliveries can happen.”
The 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine were expected to arrive mid-February, but was delayed due to the lack of an indemnification agreement.
Abeyasinghe pointed out that all vaccine manufacturers require the said agreement from any country and it has nothing to do with the Dengvaxia issue in the Philippines.
Moreover, the WHO stated that it is evaluating the Sinovac vaccine for emergency use listing (EUL). Report from Mark Fetalco
