A DAY after news came out on the United Kingdom (UK) starting mass vaccination of its citizens against COVID-19, a top Palace official hinted on replicating the same thing.
In a television interview, vaccine czar and National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. hinted on government efforts to vaccinate 25 million Filipinos as soon as vaccines become available.
“Our target this year is 25 million. Based on the availability of the vaccine, we can expand it to 30 to 35 million,” Galvez was quoted in the TV interview.
Of the initial 25 million target, health care and other essential workers account for around three million, added Galvez.
Oddly though, the Philippines has only been able to secure 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from British firm AstraZeneca. Interestingly, 2.6 million doses would only be able to serve around a million people.
The Philippine government is still trying to secure COVID-19 vaccine supply from pharmaceutical firms Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Sinovac, and Gamaleya, among others, but only vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna (both 95%) and AstraZeneca (90%) have so far been proven largely effective after human trials.
None of them has been given an emergency use authorization by the Food and Drugs Administration.
The vaccine czar likewise appealed for public patience adding that countries with more resources and the country of origin of the COVID-19 vaccines found over 90% effective such as Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca are expected to prioritize its residents since their governments also financed the development of the vaccines.
“Sila po ang nag-finance, sa kanila po galing iyong bakuna, kaya sila po talaga ang mauunang mag-roll out [for mass vaccination],” he said.
“Ang nakikita po natin sa Pfizer at sa iba pang leading vaccines, iyong production po nila for first and second quarter nakuha na po ng rich countries. Ang natitira po sa atin, mga last portion of second quarter to third quarter [darating]. Iyon po ang reality,” he added.
Galvez nonetheless remains optimistic that mass COVID-19 vaccination in the country would start rolling in March or April using China-made vaccines.
“These are already approved for emergency use authorization in China and we will ask them to increase their volume [of production for the Philippines] since they will also conduct a clinical trial here,” he said.
“Sana makuha natin ng by first quarter of next year. We are still in negotiation, but there is more confidence in Sinovac because they already gave 1.8 million and 1.2 million doses COVID-19 vaccines in Brazil and Indonesia,” he added.
To date, the Philippines has recorded 442,785 COVID-19 cases, with 8,670 casualties.