Philippine vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday that the country is expected to receive one million more doses of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine towards the end of March.
Galvez said in an interview that the deal to secure the doses will be signed today.
“Maybe March 21 and onwards [delivery],” Galvez said. “Maaasahan po natin, March 21 to 30, darating na po ‘yung one million.”
Being the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach Philippine shores, Sinovac’s arrival last weekend paved the way for the start of the nation’s much-anticipated vaccination drive against the coronavirus. The initial 600,000-dose shipment was donated by the Chinese government and military, as disclosed by China’s envoy to the Philippines during a welcome ceremony for the vaccines.
Aside from the donation, the Philippines previously entered into an agreement with Sinovac to secure 25 million doses of the product. According to Galvez, the government will request for two million doses by April, and three million by May.
“And maybe 5 million sa June and August. To complete ‘yung 25 million na kanilang pangako sa atin,” he said.
