Remaining 38,400 AstraZeneca vaccines set to arrive March 7 — Galvez

FILE PHOTO: A vial of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is seen at the Lochee Health Centre in Dundee, Scotland, Britain January 4, 2021. Andy Buchanan/Pool via REUTERS

MANILA, Philippines — Another batch of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by British-Swede pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca is set to arrive on Sunday, March 7, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Saturday.

Galvez, who is also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, added that the additional 38,400 vaccine doses will arrive aboard a commercial flight. The vaccines are donations from the COVAX Facility led by the World Health Organization (WHO). The COVAX Facility ensures equitable access to COVID-19 jabs in developing countries.

“I would like to assure the public na yung 38,400 po na kulang ay darating po bukas ng more or less by 7 p.m,” the vaccine czar said in a speech at the Ospital ng Parañaque II, where the city kicked off its vaccination drive.

The health workers of the said hospital were first to be inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Philippines was set to receive a total of 525,600 AstraZeneca vaccine doses on March 1. However, the arrival was delayed to March 4, with only 487,200 vaccine doses delivered.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the delay was due to global supply issues.

Galvez, meanwhile, earlier said that the reduction in the number of vaccines delivered was due to cargo limitations.

Before the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccines, the Philippines first received 600,00 doses of Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine. These vaccines were donated by the Chinese government.

/MUF