A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” sticker and a medical syringe in front of displayed Novavax logo in this illustration taken, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo
MANILA, Philippines — The provincial government of Cavite has ordered three million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from US biotech firm Novavax to beef up the inoculation program of the national government, Governor Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday.
“We ordered 3,000,000 doses of NOVAVAX (US) para mapabakunahan ang may 1,500,000 na katao sa Cavite ng libre (to vaccinate 1.5 million people in Cavite for free),” Remulla said in a Facebook post.
Remulla said the Novavax vaccines will be alloted for residents aged 18 to 59. The vaccines are expected to be delivered as early as July and not later than December.
Remulla added that local government units (LGUs) in the province raised P1.8 billion for the vaccine procurement initiative.
The amount, he said, already covers expenses for logistics, storage, delivery and registration.
Meanwhile, Remulla encouraged his constituents to trust the vaccination program of the government as he countered theories about the vaccines.
He noted that vaccines are necessary to stop the pandemic and that vaccines have long been proven to be effective against pandemics in the past.
“During these critical times, the more we need to rely on the medical and scientific process,” he said.
“Getting yourself vaccinated will not bring about the end of the world. Rather, it may finally bring about the end of COVID-19. So let us all choose to be free from this dreaded virus so that all of us can hold hands once again,” he added.
“As of 3PM on April 6 (Tuesday), there were a total of 1,844 [new] positive cases with at least 6,303 active cases,” he said, citing information from the Department of Health Center for Health Development in Calabarzon.
“These days, it’s reaching quite close to home and the so-called six degrees of separation. Kaibigan. Kamag-anak. Katrabaho (Friends. Relatives. Colleagues). As netizens observed: ‘Facebook has turned into an obituary,’” the governor added.
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