(UPDATE) The Philippines on Sunday received one million more Sinovac vaccines from China as it prepared to immunize economic frontliners against COVID-19.
The shipment brought to roughly nine million the total vaccines received by the Philippines against the target to innoculate 50 million people with two shots in 2021.
The fourth priority group or A4 for vaccines include those who need to go out for work during the pandemic. The government earlier immunized health frontliners, senior citizens and persons with co-morbidities.
Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Philippines is expected to receive around 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this June. This includes another one million doses of Sinovac arriving on June 10, and another 3.5 million doses of the same brand coming later this month.
Also set to arrive on June 8 are 100,000 doses of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, and 250,000 doses of Moderna on June 21, he added.
Some 2.28 million doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX facility are also set to arrive on June 10, followed by 2.03 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in the third week of June, Galvez said.
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To fight vaccine hesitancy, Filipino authorities and businessmen are dangling raffle prizes from cows to a house and lot.