First shipment of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines arrives in PH
(Updated, 12:15 a.m., March 5, 2021)
MANILA, Philippines — The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines developed by British-Swede drugmaker AstraZeneca has arrived in the Philippines on Thursday.
The plane carrying 487,200 vaccine doses from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) past 7 p.m.
It will later be towed to Villamor Air Base where government officials, including President Rodrigo Duterte, will welcome its arrival.
TINGNAN: Eroplanong may lulan ng 487,200 doses ng AstraZeneca vaccines mula sa COVAX facility, lumapag na ng Pilipinas! #COVID19PH #WeHealAsOnePH #COVIDvaccinePH pic.twitter.com/6Gr59VHrre
— National Task Force Against COVID19 (@ntfcovid19ph) March 4, 2021
BREAKING: Some 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility have arrived in the Philippines via a KLM aircraft (📷 @ntfcovid19ph) @KAguilarINQ pic.twitter.com/qoHixyNiQD
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) March 4, 2021
KLM flight carrying 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines arrived at NAIA T3 at around 7:10PM. | pics from @pcoogov’s Ofc of Global Media & Public Affairs. pic.twitter.com/68AH7blbgz
— Jerome Aning (@JeromeAningINQ) March 4, 2021
“I am pleased to inform you that the shipment of 487,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines arrived tonight. After the ceremony these will immediately be delivered to storage for repackaging to prepare for immediate distribution to our frontliners,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, chairman of the NTF Covid-19, which is the chief implementer of all IATF resolutions.
— Delfin Lorenzana (@del_lorenzana) March 4, 2021
I am pleased to inform you that the shipment of 487,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines arrived tonight. After the ceremony, these will immediately be delivered to storage for repackaging to prepare for immediate distribution to our front liners 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/PjJ4j34DaO
— Delfin Lorenzana (@del_lorenzana) March 4, 2021
After the ceremony, the vaccines will be transported to Metropac, Marikina City.
This is the second batch of vaccines to arrive in the Philippines, following the 600,000 Sinovac vaccine doses donated by the Chinese government, which arrived last Sunday, February 28.
The vaccines were initially set to arrive on March 1 but were delayed due to global supply problems.
The number of doses set to arrive was also at 525,600 but was reduced due to cargo limitations as the vaccine will be delivered using a commercial flight, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. explained.
The Philippines is expected to receive about 5.5 million to 9.2 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses this year through the COVAX facility.
