Procured 1M Sinovac vaccine doses arriving on March 21, says Galvez

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Sunday that 1 million procured doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac will arrive in the country on March 21.

“Meron po tayong na-procure na 1 million na darating po sa March 21,” Galvez said in a press conference during an inaugural vaccination in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Aside from the purchased supply, Galvez said the Chinese government will again donate 400,000 doses of COVID-19 from Sinovac, which are expected to arrive in the country this March.

“So 1.4 million ang darating this March,” Galvez said.

On February 28, the Philippines received 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Sinovac that the Chinese government had donated.

On March 4, a total of 487,200 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca also arrived in the Philippines under the COVAX facility.

At least 38,400 doses more from AstraZeneca are expected to arrive on Sunday.

With around 4.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that will be delivered until May, Galvez said the country will have 1.5 million doses every month.

On the other hand, the Department of Health on Saturday convened members of different hospitals in Metro Manila for a meeting to address the recent spike in hospital admissions amid the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

The Philippines began its COVID-19 vaccination program on March 1, following the arrival of 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines, which was immediately followed by 487,000 doses from AstraZeneca.

Nograles said that more batches of COVID-19 vaccines are coming throughout March.

He acknowledged that although there are supply limitations on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, the Philippines still have six other vaccines to get supplies from.

"Hindi naman tayo dependent sa Pfizer. Meron tayong nakuhang Sinovax, merong nakuhang AstraZeneca, at may darating pa. So far, the whole of March, may mga parating na vaccines pa," Nograles said.

"And then si Secretary Carlito Galvez, kung matutuloy man yung trip niya sa India, whether or not matuloy yung trip niya sa India, yung close coordination naman niya sa SII, yung Serum Institute of India, para naman sa Novavax pati sa karagdagang stock din ng AstraZeneca," he added.

Another batch of 38,400 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines are expected to arrive later in the day. —LBG, GMA News