The Department of Health on Monday said it halted its vaccination program for senior citizens launched last week after supplies of AstraZeneca vaccines ran out.
The DOH also has Sinovac jabs in supply, however, it is still awaiting word from the Chinese biotech firm if its vaccine is suitable for seniors. The Sinovac jab's current emergency use authorization excludes seniors.
“As of yesterday, nakausap natin FDA, wala pa ring submission ang Sinovac ng additional evidences na kailangan natin. So we are awaiting although we coordinated already because we know kailangan natin dito sa ating country because naubos na ang AstraZeneca doses natin,” DOH Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual press conference.
Sought for clarification if the the vaccination program for seniors was paused, Dr. Beverly Ho, head of the DOH communications arm, told reportr: "Yes. We wait for the appropriate vaccine for elderly."
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The Philippines has administered roughly 300,000 vaccine doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines so far, according to data from the World Health Organization.
It plans to vaccinate up to 70 million of its 120 million people this year, but global supply is running short as vaccine distribution favors rich countries, choking the rollouts of developing nations like the Philippines.
Citing this inequity, World Health Organization Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabi Abeyasinghe also confirmed Monday the delayed arrival of some 920,000 doses of Astrazeneca vaccines supposedly set last March 24.
A "reduced quantity" is excepted to arrive in the coming weeks, he said, as he assured the public that once production kicks off, the remaining supply promised through the COVAX facility will arrive by late second quarter or early third quarter of 2021.
The Philippines is currently battling a fresh surge in infections that has prompted government to impose the strictest form of lockdown or ECQ in the Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan areas.
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