Galvez: Next president won't have any problem with COVID-19 vax supply

The Philippines has secured enough doses of COVID-19 vaccines that will last even after President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office on June 30, 2022, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Monday.

In his report to during President Rodrigo Duterte's Talk to the People, Galvez said 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines would be delivered to the country next year.

"Nakumpleto na po ang ating vaccine up to the middle the year of 2022. Ibig sabihin ang procurement and other donations, 'yung incoming president po wala na pong problema sa vaccines kasi yung ating ginagamit na vaccine, yung nagdedeliver ngayon para po next year na po yon," Galvez said.

"Kasi 158 (million) po yun, 108 (million) lang kailangan natin for this year, yung idedeliver natin dun more or less 78 million, ito po malalaman na po natin for next year," he added.

"Makikita na planstado na po ang ating procurement and other deployment to 2022 year of administration," he also said.

He said most of the vaccines would expire in 2023.

"More or less 200 million po ang darating ngayong year. Malaki ang stockpile na kayang i-hold," Galvez said.

"Karamihan na darating na vaccine especially sa J&J, nagpapasalamat po kami sa COVAX at ang kanyang expiry date is 2023 pa. Meaning yung ating request yung mas higher ang expiry date, naibigay po satin," he added.

For this week alone, Galvez said the governmented expect the arrival of 24,473,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Here is the breakdown of the vaccines:

• J&J - 9,316,800 doses
• Pfizer - 4,984,200 doses
• Moderna - 5,208,900
• Sinovac - 2,000,000
• AstraZeneca - 2,963,900

Galvez also reported that more than 7 million minors aged 12 to 17  already  received the first dose while 2.1 million were already fully vaccinated.

He also reported that in Metro Manila, 102% of its elderly population is already fully vaccinated.

"Nakita natin, nabreak natin ang hesitancy. At the same time, 111% ang first dose. Meaning pati mga bata, nakukuha na niya po at kuha na niya po ang mga elderly niya," Galvez said.

With the steady vaccine supply, Galvez said they are eyeing to expand the deployment of additional doses to the general population.

"We might decide because of steady supply, before the end of the year, we might expand the boostering to the general population," said Galvez.

As of December 13, Galvez said 41 million Filipinos are already fully inoculated versus COVID-19, which is 53.20% of the country's adult population. —NB, GMA News