Pfizer’s COVID vaccine may arrive in PH between Q2 to Q3 of 2021 — Galvez

FILE PHOTO: Pfizer’s logo is reflected in a drop on a syringe needle in this illustration taken November 9, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines might only get a hold of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine between the second and third quarter of 2021, the country’s vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday.

Galvez said the production line of Pfizer and other leading vaccines for start of 2021 were already secured by rich countries.

“Ang nakita po natin sa Pfizer at saka sa ibang leading vaccines, dahil nga naprocure na yun, nakita natin yung productions from the first quarter and the second quarter, nakuha na po ng mga rich countries,” Galvez said in an interview over ABS-CBN Channel.

(We saw that Pfizer and other leading vaccines, since these were already procured, we saw that its productions from the first and second quarter were already secured by rich countries.)

“Sa atin, ang natitira na lang po is middle or last portion of the second quarter and the third quarter,” he added.

(For us, we are left with the middle or last portion of the second quarter and the third quarter.)

Some 80 percent of global COVID-19 vaccine supply have already been secured by rich nations, Galvez earlier said.

Even if the Philippines has a good plan on securing COVID-19 vaccines, Galvez said rich nations will still get it first since they were the ones that financed its development.

“Alam niyo po yung mga vaccines came from the first world countries. They even finance it. Definitely, kapag po sila na-finance, sa kanila nanggaling, definitely sila po ang ang mauuna mag roll out,” Galvez said.

(Vaccines came from the first world countries. They even finance it. Definitely, if they are the ones that financed it, it came from them, definitely they will be the first to roll out.)

“Kahit na magaling po ang plano natin, talagang kahit nauna po tayo magplano, I believe we cannot get the vaccine because it is already reserved to the origin countries,” he went on.

(Even if we have a good plan, even if we planned ahead of them, I believe we cannot get the vaccine because it is already reserved to the origin countries.)

Britain already began its vaccination program, with a 90-year-old being the first person to receive the COVID-19 vaccine of Pfizer.

Pfizer said the COVID-19 vaccine it developed showed 95 percent efficacy.

JPV