VITAL CARGO More than 390,000 doses of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are unloaded on Saturday night at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The donation by the Lithuanian government will help boost the country’s coronavirus response against the original strain and its Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5, the Department of Health said. (DOH photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Department of Health is procuring additional doses of bivalent vaccines against COVID-19.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Tuesday said the current supply will not be enough to cover all Filipinos.
Bivalent vaccines are a type of vaccine that targets specific variants of COVID-19, like the more transmissible Omicron.
Around 390,000 doses of bivalent vaccines, donated by Lithuania, arrived in the country on Saturday, June 6.
“Kulang na kulang po itong 390,000 so what we need to do is to prioritize who needs it first. One, the elderly. Second, those with comorbidity, and third, healthcare workers. Since nag-wane na ‘yung immunity nila, we need to protect them all,” said Herbosa during a Palace press briefing.
(This 390,000 is not enough so what we need to do is to prioritize who needs it first. One, the elderly. Second, those with comorbidity, and third, healthcare workers. Since their immunity has waned, we need to protect them all.)
Herbosa said the vaccines have already been distributed in various health centers in different local government units (LGUs).
The main bulk went to Metro Manila.
“We are negotiating to acquire more. There are more that want to donate. There are probably some procurement we need to do,” he added.
However, Herbosa also cited some “snags and issues” that may slow down the process of procurement.
“Nawala iyong [COVID-19 state of calamity] na eh … the issues of the vaccines in terms of the EUA (emergency use authorization). So to procure it, kailangan marehistro siya sa ating FDA (Food and Drug Adminisration). So merong snag doon but we are trying hard to get more,” he said.
(The COVID-19 state of calamity has lapsed, along comes the issues of the vaccines in terms of the EUA. So to procure them, it must be registered with our FDA. So there is a snag there, but we are trying hard to get more.)
Herbosa is referring to the end of the period of state of calamity that was prompted by COVID-19.
This situation consequently reverted the DOH’s procurement of COVID-19 vaccines to its usual process.
At present, is takes longer because DOH is no longer eligible to make emergency procurement.
According to Herbosa, the procurement of bivalent vaccines will be akin to during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when the country was also procuring monovalent (standard) COVID-19 vaccines.
“It’s going to be the same story… might be a little bit more difficult,” he said.
Herbosa explained the procurement of bivalent vaccines is not as easy as ordering it “off the shelf.”
This is because the vaccines are only produced by the manufacturer when the request for procurement has been finalized.
This is due to the vaccines’ short shelf life.
The health secretary said the shelf life of bivalent vaccines is only six months.
The expiry date of the existing bivalent vaccines the DOH has is on November 23, 2023.
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