Philippines joins COVID-19 vaccine global access facility

FILE – In this March 16, 2020 file photo, a subject receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine by Moderna for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. Britain, the United States and Canada accused Russia on Thursday July 16, 2020, of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will join the COVAX Facility, a mechanism designed to guarantee rapid, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

This is after Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases “approved the participation of the Philippines in the Gavi COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility, including the corresponding allocation of funds.”

Gavi, an international organization created to improve access to new and underused vaccines, is co-leading COVAX with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the World Health Organization, in collaboration with vaccine manufacturers.

Over 100 potential COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development worldwide.

The Philippine government has already reached out to various COVID-19 vaccine developers from the United States, Taiwan, China, and the United Kingdom for possible purchase once their respective vaccines become available.

President Duterte has repeatedly vowed to source out funds to provide Filipinos with COVID-19 vaccines, even saying that he would sell government properties if necessary.

Over 15.4 million people worldwide have been infected with SARS-CoV-2—the new coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19—since it was first detected in Hubei, China late last year.

In the Philippines, 74,390 COVID-19 cases have been recorded as of Thursday afternoon.  A total of 24,282 patients have recovered nationwide while 1,871 others have died.

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