[ad_1]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 14) – British pharmacist AstraZeneca has approved the request from the Philippine private sector for a second batch of coronavirus vaccines, Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepción said on Sunday. This agreement will add to the 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines previously obtained through a $ 600 million donation from more than 30 private companies.
Concepción said the initial acquisition in November was intended to reach 3 million doses, but they had to follow a supply schedule to ensure equitable distribution amid high demand. Now the second part of the agreement has been approved and can finally be processed, he said.
“The second part is already in process … We received several inquiries from the private sector requesting more allocation, hence a request to AstraZeneca to hopefully allow us to have a second batch,” he said in a statement.
Initial doses of 2.6 million vaccines are expected to benefit more than 1.5 million Filipinos, prioritizing healthcare workers and vulnerable sectors. Half of the purchase will go to the government, while the other half will be used by the companies that collaborated.
Last week, AstraZeneca withdrew its bid to conduct vaccine trials in the country, but this will not affect its entry into the country once it has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed an average efficacy of 70%.
In addition to AstraZeneca, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government has also closed deals with the Chinese company Sinovac and the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which are expected to be available in the country by the first and third quarters of 2021, respectively.
The government is looking to vaccinate at least 60 million of around 110 million Filipinos in the next three to five years. Congress has set aside $ 72.5 billion for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines in the proposed 2021 national budget, which is expected to be enacted by the president.
[ad_2]
