MANILA, Philippines — A total of 600,000 doses of China-based Sinovac Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine are set to arrive in the country on Feb. 23, Malacañang announced on Thursday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Chinese government donated 100,000 doses to the Department of National Defense (DND).
“Ang bakuna na Sinovac na galing sa China, nakaukit na sa bato ang pagdating, ito ay sa 23 ng Pebrero,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
(The Sinovac vaccine which will come from China will arrive on Feb. 23)
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (FILE PHOTO)
To date, Sinovac has not yet secured an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration. This is required before a vaccine can be legally administered in the country.
So far, only the Covid-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech and British drugmaker AstraZeneca have secured EUAs in the country.
Sinovac’s efficacy rate varied from 50.4%, 65%, and 91.25% in trials in Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey.
“Sa 23 ng Pebrero darating ang Sinovac, 600,000, mayroong 100,000 ay donasyon ng Tsina para sa kasundaluhan sa DND,” he said.
(On Feb. 23, 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine will arrive, 100,000 of which is a donation from Chinese government to the DND.)