Galvez: Vaccination to start with 1M doses of COVID-19 vaccines in February

More than 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be delivered in the Philippines that will be used to start the vaccination rollout in February, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday.

"Magkakaroon po tayo ng early rollout this February, more or less…more than 1 million doses," Galvez said during a visit at the Vaccination Hub in Lakeshore Complex, Taguig City. 

These vaccine products are from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sinovac.

"We are negotiating na meron pong darating na more or less 200,000 to 500,000, "AstraZeneca for our health workers, Pfizer sa COVAX, and also 500,000 for Sinovac," he added.

According to Galvez, negotiations with at least seven vaccine manufacturers are still ongoing, but the government already signed four term sheets for the supply of COVID- 19 vaccines.

"We hope to seal this within this month or early February," he said.

The Philippine government is targeting to secure around 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year.

Galvez earlier said the government signed a term sheet with the Serum Institute of India for 30 million doses of Covavax and sealed a deal with China's Sinovac for 25 million CoronaVac vaccines.

The Philippines is also expecting supplies from AstraZeneca with 20 million doses,  Gamaleya with 50 to 100 million doses, Moderna with 20 million doses, and Pfizer with 25 to 40 million doses.

Aside from them, the government is also negotiating with Janssen for more supplies. — RSJ, GMA News