2M AstraZeneca COVID vaccine doses arrive in Philippines

A batch of two million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility has arrived in the Philippines Saturday afternoon.

The COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on a Singapore Airlines commercial flight at 12:49 p.m.

The AstraZeneca doses will undergo disinfection before it will be transported to a cold storage facility in Marikina City, according to a tweet of DzBB reporter Jhomer Aspresto.

TINGNAN: As of 12:49 pm, dumating na sa bansa ang nasa mahigit dalawang milyong doses ng AstraZeneca Vaccine mula sa Covax Facility.

Dadaan ito sa disinfection at ikakarga sa mga cold storage vans papunta sa isang cold storage facility sa Marikina City. |@dzbb @gmanews pic.twitter.com/pfi7tejeBj

— Jhomer Apresto (@jhomer_apresto) May 8, 2021

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon were among government officials who received the shipment.

LOOK: Shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines just arrived at NAIA 3. Among those present to receive the vaccines are Health Sec. Francisco Duque, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr., and testing czar Sec. Vince Dizon. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/TbOu81bZ8Y

— Mav Gonzales (@mavgonzales) May 8, 2021

On Thursday, former presidential aide and now Senate health committee chairman Christopher "Bong" Go disclosed that two million doses of AstraZeneca from the COVAX Facility will arrive on May 8.

This will serve as second-dose shot for medical frontliners, senior citizens, and people with comorbidities who already got their first shot.

In April, the Department of Health expressed hope that the delayed delivery of AstraZeneca vaccine would arrive by the end of May.

Logistical problems dragged on the AstraZeneca vaccine transport. 

The Philippines earlier received  525,600 AstraZeneca vaccine doses from COVAX Facility, a World Health Organization-backed initiative that seeks to ensure equitable access to vaccines, especially poorer nations.  —LBG, GMA News