COVAX to send AstraZeneca, Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses in May

The COVAX Facility is expected to deliver in May millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines by British firm AstraZeneca and US company Pfizer, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday.  

"Maganda po ang volumes this coming May dahil may positive na nangyari na yung COVAX baka makapagdeliver ng Pfizer at Astrazeneca," Galvez said in a Cabinet briefing presided by President Rodrigo Duterte.

"'Yung second dose wala na po tayong problema. May makukuha tayong more or less na two million AstraZeneca," Galvez added.

Galvez said he expected the government to receive 1.3 million vaccine doses of Pfizer vaccines also in May.

The Philippines has so far administered 2,065,245 vaccine doses as of May 4. Over 1.7 million Filipinos were inoculated with the first dose of vaccines.

Galvez said that an initial rollout of 193,000 shots of Pfizer vaccines would arrive on May 11.

He said there were about 20% to 30% health workers who have yet to be vaccinated because they were waiting  for doses of vaccines made American firms Moderna and Pfizer.

Duterte tells Filipinos not to be choosy

Duterte said being picky about vaccines was "discriminatory," adding that people should take whatever brand would be available.

"May problema tayo diyan. If you look at it, tignan mo talaga, silipin. Discriminatory," Duterte said.

"Kaya ang akin... kung ano nandiyan, pagdating doon, kung ano maibigay na carton mo mapa- Sinovac, Sputnik, 'yun na 'yun para sa inyo," he added.

Duterte ordered Galvez to assign vaccine deliveries to areas without regard for brands.

"Nobody should, iyo yan. I put to task ikaw (Galvez) mismo, just keep a blind eye, ito kunin ninyo, for Sta. Ana, for Bulacan. Huwag mo na tignan kung ano, because there will be a lot of complaints.

Galvez affirmed Duterte's order, citing some Filipinos preferring Western brands of COVID-19 vaccines.

"Karamihan sa mga nakakaintindi at sa mga common na mamamayan na gusto na magpa-bakuna, hindi na namimili. 'Yung iba talaga choosy na pagkawestern ang orientation yun ang parang... pero kakaunti lang naman iyon Mr. President. But we'll ensure na yung directive ninyo will be implemented," he said.

Sinopharm has yet to submit requirements to the FDA as regards an application for an emergency use authorization or EUA for its vaccines.

Only Sinovac, also a Chinese firm, has secured an EUA for its Coronavac vaccines. —NB, GMA News