20% of Filipinos guaranteed of COVID-19 vaccine under COVAX in 2021 —DOH

The Philippines will get COVID-19 vaccine good for around 22 million people from COVAX facility in 2021, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday.

The COVAX initiative is a global collaboration of manufacturers and experts that seeks to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

"Sa COVAX, we are guaranteed [of a COVID-19 vaccine supply] for 20% of our population, but we won’t get it all at the same time," Vergeire said.

"Iyong healthcare workers muna [ang mabibigyan], then second to third quarter of the year na iyong iba," she added.

The Philippines has a population of at least 110 million.

"Pero definitely, guaranteed na [good for] 20% percent [ng population] ang makukuha natin na allocation throughout next year. Kung kaunting doses muna ang mabibigay nila, patuloy nila maibibigay iyong iba hanggang matapos ang taon,” Vergeire said.

COVAX is co-led by GAVI vaccines alliance, the World Health Organization and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Its aim is to deliver 2 billion doses of effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

The shots will be delivered equally to participating countries proportional to their populations, GAVI said in July, and deployed initially for healthcare workers.

GAVI said in June it had raised $567 million from international donors towards an initial goal of $2 billion to buy vaccines via the COVAX Advanced Market Commitment.

So far, the Philippines has secured only one COVID-19 vaccine supply deal -- 2.6 million doses from British firm AstraZeneca. This is funded by the private sector for donation to the Philippine government and is good for 1.3 million people.

AstraZeneca has agreed to supply 300 million doses to COVAX.

On Monday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the Philippines has been assured of around 30 million does of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine Novavax.

AstraZeneca has been proven at least 90% effective after human trials.

No vaccine manufacturer, however, has applied for an emergency use authorization with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration so far.

Syringes

Vergeire, however, assured the public that securing enough COVID-19 vaccine would also mean ensuring the availability of enough syringes and other logistical requirements.

“Iyong mga injection devices, kasama iyan sa preparation ng logistical cluster for the vaccine. Kasama rin iyan sa cost,” she said.

“We have enough syringes since meron naman tayong existing vaccination program, but yes, kasama po iyan sa frontload ng ating immunization initiative and we will coordinate with RITM on this matter,” she added, referring to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

Vergeire said that the Philippines has existing vaccine storage facilities for vaccines needing a 2 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius storage, as well as those needing -20 degrees Celsius.

As for vaccines needing a -70 to -80 degrees Celsius storage, Vergeire said the Philippine government is already in talks with the private sector for assistance.

The Philippines has recorded 459,789 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, December 20, 2020. Of this number, 429,134 recovered while 8,947 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 21,708. —KBK, GMA News