Saturday rollout of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine eyed

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines may start using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine it received from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility on Saturday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Friday.

“Dahil kararating lang po ng AstraZeneca kagabi, kung tatanungin natin, kailan ba natin uumpisahan?…Baka bukas, mag-umpisa na ang AstraZeneca,” Duque said in a press conference in Davao City.

(Since AstraZeneca only arrived last night, we might ask, when will we start using it? Maybe tomorrow, we will start using the AstraZeneca vaccines.)

Some 487,200 doses AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in the Philippines on Thursday night aboard a commercial KLM flight and landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport past 7 p.m.

Duque assured that those who declined the Sinovac vaccine that arrived earlier will still be prioritized for the AstraZeneca jabs.

(FILE PHOTO) Health Sec. Francisco Duque III (File photo / Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

“Kung maalala ninyo, may mga healthcare workers tayo na sabi, magaantay na lamang po sila ng AstraZeneca. Hindi po sila mwawalan sa prioritization,” Duque said.

(If you remember, some healthcare workers said they would wait for AstraZeneca. They will still be prioritized.)

“So sila po yung mga umayaw doon sa Sinovac ay meron po tayong inihahandang AstraZeneca para sa kanila,” he added.

(Those who refused Sinovac, we are readying the AstraZeneca for them.)

A total of 13,628 individuals have already been vaccinated in the Philippines as of March 4.

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