MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has expressed interest in the COVID-19 vaccine currently being developed by Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Ambassador to London Antonio Lagdameo said Friday.
“Nagpaabot na ng kanilang interes ang ating pamahalaan na baka bumili ng mga vaccine na ito kung ito ay mapatunayang ligtas at mabisa,” Lagdameo said in a televised public briefing.
(Our government has expressed interest in buying the vaccine if it is proven safe and effective.)
About a dozen potential COVID-19 vaccines are in the early stages of testing worldwide.
While it remains unlikely that one would be licensed before early next year at the earliest, numerous rich countries have already ordered some of these experimental drugs and expect delivery even before they are given marketing approval.
Earlier, multinational pharmaceutical AstraZeneca announced that it would supply Europe with up to 400 million doses of Oxford University’s vaccine.
The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker also signed an agreement to make at least 300 million doses available for the United States, with the first batches delivered as early as October.
The SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has so far infected over 8.4 million worldwide.