When are the Philippines' COVID Vaccine Orders Arriving?
The Philippines started its COVID-19 immunization program this March using donated vaccines from China and the COVAX global facility.
While over one million doses of vaccines have been made available to medical frontliners, jabs that are being procured by the government have yet to arrive.
Here's a status update on the government's vaccine deals from the country's National Task Force on COVID-19 as of March 24:
Sinovac
The Philippines has secured 25 million doses of vaccines from China's Sinovac, with one million doses expected to arrive before the end of March. Payments and succeeding deliveries are also being sorted out.
AstraZeneca
Some 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from British drugmaker AstraZeneca were secured by the Philippines through a tripartite deal involving different conglomerates and local government unitls.
Delivery of the vaccines is expected to begin in May, authorities said.
Moderna
American biotech firm Moderna has committed to supply the Philippines with 20 million jabs. It was only last week that the national government and the private sector, led by port magnate Enrique Razon, signed the supply agreement for the vaccine procurement.
Of the 20 million doses, 13 million will be used by the government while 7 million will be used by the private sector.
Moderna had said that delivery of the vaccines is expected by mid-2021.
Novavax
The Philippines signed in March a supply agreement with American biotech firm Novavax for 30 million COVID-19 vaccines.
While the firm is based in the U.S., its vaccines are manufactured at the Serum Institute of India. Of the 30 million doses, half will be used by the private sector and local government units.
Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said delivery of the vaccines is expected at around the second half of 2021.
Johnson & Johnson
The signing of the supply deal for some 5 million doses of Johnson & Johnson jabs is scheduled this week.
Gamaleya Research Institute
The Philippines is still negotiating for some 15 million doses of the Gamaleya Research Institute's Sputnik V vaccine.
Pfizer
The Philippines is still negotiating for 25 million doses of American pharmaceutical firm Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.
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