Philippines gets 500,000 more doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine

Half a million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine  from Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday morning, boosting the country's vaccine supply.

According to Ian Cruz's report on Unang Balita, the chartered Cebu Pacific flight carrying the vaccines touched down at NAIA at 7:35 a.m.

In total, 5.5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine have arrived in the Philippines -- 1,500,000 on May 7; 500,000 on April 29; 500,000 on April 22; 500,000 on April 11; 1,000,000 on March 29; 400,000 on March 24; 600,000 on February 28; and 1.5 million on May 7.

The February 28 and March 24 shipments were donated by the Chinese government, while the rest were purchased by the Philippine government.

Based on Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluation of Sinovac's vaccine, it has the following efficacy rates:

• 65% to 91% among healthy individuals aged 18 to 59,
• 50.4% for health workers, and
• 51% to 52% on senior citizens or those aged 60 and above
• Sinovac's vaccine is given in two doses

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The Philippines officially rolled out its vaccination program on March 1 but it has been hampered by supply problems. Officials expect the pace to improve starting May or June with the arrival of more vaccines.

The government aims to begin vaccinating economic frontliners (A4) in the government's priority list) and indigent Filipinos (A5) after May. So far, only frontline health workers (A1), senior citizens (A2) and persons with comorbidities (A3) have undergone vaccination against the coronavirus.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who personally welcomed the latest shipment from Sinovac, has earlier admitted that the incoming supplies of COVID-19 vaccines are not enough for essential workers.

In an interview on Balitanghali on Wednesday, Duque said around 12 million economic frontliners would be needing about 24 million doses of vaccine.

The Unang Balita report said the newly arrived vaccine doses will likely be deployed in areas with high number of COVID-19 cases namely NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite Bulacan), Cebu and Davao City.

The country is expecting 160,000 doses of vaccine made by American drugmaker Moderna this May, as well as 300,000 Sputnik V doses and 2.2 million Pfizer doses soon.   —KBK, GMA News