Add’l 400k Sinovac doses arrive bringing to 1M the total China-donated vaccines in PHL

The second batch of donated Sinovac vaccines from China arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday morning, March 24, 2021. (Screenshot of PTV video)

 

(Eagle News) — Some 400,000 more doses of China’s Sinovac vaccines arrived in the country on Wednesday morning, March 24.

With the additional doses, the total Sinovac vaccines in the country have reached 1 million. The first batch of 600,000 doses were delivered on Feb. 28, which were the first vaccine doses that the country received against COVID-19.

“We are grateful for the arrival of additional donated vaccines. The arrival of these vaccines could not have occurred at a more opportune time considering the continued rise in cases, which in turn increases the need to inoculate more high-risk individuals as soon as possible,” said Health Sec. Francisco Duque III.

Duque was with Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF) Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vince Dizon, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Ambassador Huang Xilian and other officials from the Inter-Agency Task Group (IATF) and Department of Health (DOH) when the second batch of Sinovac doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday.

The additional 400,000 doses arrived via a Philippine Air Lines flight around 7:30 a.m.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said that the donated Sinovac vaccines, with the brand name “Coronavac, would greatly help the ongoing vaccine rollout in the country amid the recent spike in cases in various regions. The DOH noted the most number of cases in Metro Manila, CALABARZON (Region 4-A), Central Luzon (Region 3), Central Visayas (Region 7) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The Philippines plans to vaccinate at least 70 million Filipinos to achieve the so-called herd immunity.

“The arrival of these donated vaccines from China is a testament that when all nations are working together, we can surmount any challenges ahead. The Philippine government will continue to strengthen its collaboration with China to finally put an end to this pandemic,” Sec. Galvez said.

Duque said that the DOH wants all of the country’s health care workers to be vaccinated.

“We shall see to it that all of our healthcare workers, not just in the National Capital Region but in the whole country, are given the protection they need and deserve for being at the forefront of the battle against the virus,” Sec. Duque said.

Galvez said that around 1 million more doses of AstraZeneca will arrive in the country within the week. Another 1 millon AstraZeneca doses are expected by Monday.

(Eagle News Service)