Gov’t eyes COVID-19 vaccine for 25 million Pinoys in 2021

The Philippines is eyeing to vaccinate around 25 million Filipinos against COVID-19 in 2021, vaccine czar and National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday.

Galvez made the statement a day after the United Kingdom started its mass COVID-19 vaccination program on Tuesday with a vaccine supply from Pfizer proven to be 95% effective after human trials.

"Our target this year is 25 million. Based on the availability of the vaccine, we can expand it to 30 to 35 million,” he said in an ANC interview.

Of the said number, Galvez said health care and other essential workers account for around three million.

The Philippines has only secured 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from British firm AstraZeneca thus far, a volume which is only good for one million people.

As this developed, the Philippine government is still negotiating on securing COVID-19 vaccine supply from pharmaceutical firms Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Sinovac, and Gamaleya, among others.

Only COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna (both 95%) and AstraZeneca (90%) have been proven largely effective after human trials so far.

The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration, however, is yet to issue an emergency use authorization on any COVID-19 vaccine.

Galvez asked the public for patience, saying that it is expected that countries with more resources and the country of origin of the COVID-19 vaccines found over 90% effective such as Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca will prioritize its residents since their governments also financed the development of the vaccines.

“Sila po ang nag-finance, sa kanila po galing iyong bakuna, kaya sila po talaga ang mauunang mag-roll out [for mass vaccination],” he said.

“Ang nakikita po natin sa Pfizer at sa iba pang leading vaccines, iyong production po nila for first and second quarter nakuha na po ng rich countries. Ang natitira po sa atin, mga last portion of second quarter to third quarter [darating]. Iyon po ang reality,” he added.

Still, Galvez is confident that the mass COVID-19 vaccination in the country can begin in March or April, starting with vaccines from Chinese firms Sinovac and CanSino.

“These are already approved for emergency use authorization in China and we will ask them to increase their volume [of production for the Philippines] since they will also conduct a clinical trial here,” he said.

“Sana makuha natin ng by first quarter of next year. We are still in negotiation, but there is more confidence in Sinovac because they already gave 1.8 million and 1.2 million doses COVID-19 vaccines in Brazil and Indonesia,” he added.

The Philippines has recorded 442,785 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 408,790 recovered while 8,670 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is 25,325.—AOL, GMA News