PH to purchase 6-M doses of one-shot J&J COVID-19 vaccine

 (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government will sign a contract with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for the purchase of around six million doses of the firm’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday.

“I would like to announce that this week, we will be signing another contract [with] Johnson & Johnson. More or less 6 million doses, one shot. Ito po, gagamitin natin ito sa January allocation natin,” Galvez said during the “Sa Bakuna, Panalo Ka” event in Angeles City, Pampanga.

(I would like to announce that this week, we will be signing another contract [with] Johnson & Johnson. More or less 6 million doses, one shot. These will be for our January vaccine allocation.)

The Philippines has received at some 3.2 million doses of the J&J vaccine, though these were donated by the U.S. government through the COVAX facility. These jabs were delivered in two tranches in July.

 Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. (PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

Galvez said the government is also in talks with four vaccine manufacturers for the procurement of COVID-19 jabs for next year, but did not identify the brands.

“Ang bibilhin po natin is more or less 90 to 100 million,” he said.

(We will buy more or less 90 to 100 million doses.)

Over 21 million persons have so far been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country.

More people are expected to be vaccinated soon as the government opens the inoculation of the general population and minors with comorbidities this October.

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