(Eagle News) – The Department of Health is considering donating some of the Covid-19 vaccines that the Philippine government had received as it studied a decline in vaccination numbers.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that one option they are considering is donating vaccine doses that are nearing their expiration dates.
“Yung hindi magagamit at malapit nang magexpire, ang desisyon dyan ay i-donate sa mga bansang mababa ang vaccine coverage,” he said in a briefing on Thursday, March 10.
The countries which the DOH are eyeing as beneficiaries for vaccine donations are Myanmar, Cambodia and some countries in Africa.
Duque said that they have not yet determined the number of vaccine doses nearing their expiration dates which would be donated to other countries.
-AstraZeneca agrees to extend vaccines’ shelf life-
He said that they have already requested AstraZeneca to extend the expiration dates for another three months.
“Na-extend naman. Pumayag na ang Astrazeneca,” he said.
Duque said that they are only waiting for the go-signal of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve the shelf life extension of the AstraZeneca vaccines for another three months.
He said that if the shelf life of these vaccines are extended, then these might still stay in the country and be used in the vaccination campaign.
If ever these vaccines would be donated however, other countries with minimal vaccine supples would benefit from these.
“Maganda naman ang layunin na yan. Para makatulong tayo sa ibang mga bansa na mababa (ang vaccine coverage) pero ang supply nila ay kulang na kulang,” Duque said.
-National Vaccination Days Part 4-
Duque noted Filipinos turning up for Covid jabs have decreased recently, and this is one reason why the Philippine government launched Part 4 of the National Vaccination campaign that will run from March 10 to 12 nationwide.
The Philippines targets to vaccinate 1.8 million people this week, mostly the second doses for senior citizens and those aged 12 to 17, who received their first dose previously.
It also targets to give more booster shots to the eligible population, or those 18 years old and above.
The Philippines will also continue vaccinating children aged 5 to 11.
(Eagle News Service)