Galvez: Deal for 20M doses of AstraZeneca vaccine may be signed before end-December

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines may sign a contract for the purchase of 20 million doses of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine from British drugmaker AstraZeneca on December 28 or 29, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has disclosed.

Galvez made the announcement during a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte which was recorded and edited prior to public release on Monday night.

“Baka this coming next week either December 28 or 29, inaantay lang namin ‘yung Ministry of Health regulatory authorization ng [United Kingdom] at pwede na naming pirmahan ‘yung kontrata. Ito naman ay 20 million doses [of vaccine],” Galvez said.

FILE PHOTO: A test tube labeled with the vaccine is seen in front of AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken, September 9, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

Galvez likewise said that the Philippines has been assured of at least 30 million doses of Indian-made Novavax coronavirus vaccine.

“So all in all kung magkakaroon tayo ng pirmahan this month, mayroon tayong 60 million for second quarter and third quarter [of 2021],” Galvez said.

Aside from these COVID-19 jabs, the government is also looking into the vaccines of China’s Sinovac Biotech (CoronaVac), Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute (Sputnik V), and the United States’ Moderna and Pfizer.

The government is eyeing to inoculate at least 60 million Filipinos to achieve herd immunity to limit virus transmission in the country.

As of December 21, there are 461,505 COVID-19 cases in the country, with the death toll approaching the 9,000-mark.

KGA