PH in talks with AstraZeneca for purchase of COVID-19 vaccine
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is in talks with Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca to procure doses of its prospective COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Monday said the Philippines is looking to procure three to five million doses of vaccine from AstraZeneca but it is negotiating whether this can be increased to 10 million doses.
The vaccines will be mainly allocated for healthcare workers, Galvez said.
“Sa lahat ng inevaluate ng vaccine expert panel, ang AztraZeneca ang pinakamababa ang presyo with $5 per dose,” Galvez said in an online media forum.
“Tinitingnan natin na magkaroon tayo ng access ng at least 3 to 5 million doses, pero tinitingnan namin na magkaroon ng at least 10 million doses para sa ating mga frontliners,” he added.
Galvez said the Philippine government is eyeing to buy at least 50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from different countries developing the vaccine.
This will be given to 25 million Filipinos in 2021, he also said.
KGA
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