Bulk of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine arriving in July, says presidential adviser

(REUTERS)

MANILA, Philippines — The bulk of COVID-19 vaccines from American firm Moderna may arrive in the country by July, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said Monday.

Concepcion said the vaccines from Moderna are among the bulk of inoculation shots for the private sector that are arriving in July.

“Maliit lang ang dumarating dito kasi talagang ang Moderna ay mahirap kunin, so palagay ko ang pinakamalaking order dito ay darating ng mga July, August and onwards,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(Only a small quantity of Moderna vaccines are arriving here because it is difficult to procure vaccines from the said firm, but I think the bulk of orders for Moderna will come in July, August and onwards.)

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said that 250,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to arrive on June 21.  Seven million doses of the Moderna vaccine are allotted for the private sector, according to Concepcion.

The Philippine government, meanwhile, has secured 13 million doses from the US company.

On top of the Moderna vaccines, 1.17 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca will arrive on July 14, while another 1.17 million doses will be delivered in August.

COVID-19 vaccines from India, on the other hand, will arrive by the third quarter of the year, Concepcion added.

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