Total COVID vaccines delivered to PHL hit nearly 69.7 million doses
(Eagle News) – Some 3 million Coronavac doses from China’s Sinovac arrived in the country on Sunday, bringing the total vaccine doses so far delivered to almost 69.7 million, according to the National Task Force against COVID-19.
This was the second batch of 3 million Sinovac doses that arrived this September. The earlier batch of 3 million Sinovac doses arrived last Sept. 19.
The arrival of the second batch of 3 million Sinovac doses came a few days after over 1.7 million Pfizer vaccine doses were delivered to the country — 1,028,430 Pfizer doses on Sept. 22, and another 728,910 doses on Sept. 23.
-100 million more COVID vaccine doses expected in October-
More vaccines, around 100 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines, are expected to be delivered to the Philippines by the end of October since the country started receiving the shots from various manufacturers in February, according to NTF Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr.
The latest shipment of 3 million Sinovac doses will be deployed mostly to Region 4-A, Region 3, Region 6, Region 7, Region 11, Region 2, Region 1, and Region 9, while the doses to be deployed in Metro Manila will be used for second doses, explained Galvez.
The vaccine czar encouraged Filpinos to get vaccinated, citing studies proving the efficacy of vaccines in preventing one to get severe COVID-19.
He cited recent studies conducted in Malaysia showing that the Sinovac-made vaccine is highly effective against severe disease and death.
“We would like to encourage everybody na kung ano ‘yung dumating na vaccine very effective naman lahat at it prevents from any severe at hospitalization and death,” Galvez said.
-After 1.7 million Pfizer doses, more expected to arrive-
On Thursday, Sept. 23, a total of 728,910 Pfizer vaccine doses procured by the government arrived in the country.
A day before that, on Wednesday, Sept. 22, over 1 million doses of procured Pfizer vaccines were also delivered. This is considered the biggest single delivery of procured Pfizer vaccines delivered so far. The Air Hongkong plane carrying 1,028,430 Pfizer doses landed past 9 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
Brett Blackshaw, counselor for political affairs of the US State Department cited the strong cooperation between the Philippines and United States in the global fight against the pandemic.
According to Galvez, the country is expecting to receive the bulk of COVID-19 vaccines this October, particularly those coming from Pfizer.
“We would like to thank the US government for providing us access to Western vaccines, at the same time, providing us with more than 10 million fresh donations of Pfizer vaccines,” he added.
Nearly 11 million doses of procured and donated Pfizer vaccines doses have arrived in the country.
Aside from the 10 million donated Pfizer shots, the Philippines will also receive additional doses from the 500 million doses pledged by the United States government to low-income countries.
(Eagle News Service)
