Over 1.3 million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses arrive in PH

FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker holds a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., January 29, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — More than 1.3 million doses of US-made Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were delivered to the Philippines on Tuesday morning.

The doses, which were procured by the national government, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 at around 9:40 a.m., according to a livestream of state-run PTV.

This brought the total number of vaccine doses received by the Philippines to over 124 million, according to the National Task Force against COVID-19.

The Department of Health (DOH) recommended using Moderna, Pfizer, and Sinovac vaccines as booster shots for healthcare workers.

Health workers may get their booster doses starting Nov. 17.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., who personally welcomed the arrival of the vaccines, said the newly-arrived Moderna shots will be allocated for eligible minors and for booster doses.

So far, over 31 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Galvez said the Philippines is still expecting 16 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in November to complete the 140 million jabs target of the government.

Vaccine doses that will arrive in December will be allocated for the first quarter of 2022 for booster shots and inoculating the remaining unvaccinated eligible population, Galvez said.

JPV