Philippines to get 30 million doses of Novavax jab by Q2-Q3, says envoy

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines might receive 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by American firm Novavax, which is being manufactured in India, in the late second quarter or early third quarter of the year once agreements are signed, India’s Ambassador to the Philippines said Thursday.

“The discussions are essentially underway for 30 million doses, and I believe that the Philippine side has invested in a larger number and that detail is being currently negotiated,” Indian envoy Shambhu Kumaran said in a briefing.

He said he believes officials of both the Philippine and Indian governments will agree on the supply contract soon.

“We’re very hopeful that this vaccine can reach early in the third quarter or the late second quarter of this year. So it will provide the backbone for the Philippines vaccination effort in the second half of 2021 this year,” Kumaran said.

The Philippines and India are also in talks for at least eight million doses of the Covaxin, which is developed by Indian firm Bharat Biotech.

Kumaran said Bharat could start supplies in late April or May, which he said, would be a “useful supplement to some of the vaccine supplies that are coming into the Philippines.”

The Philippines is also seeking a supply of AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

“The third pipeline is, potentially, which is still to be determined because there are licensing issues to be addressed, AstraZeneca sourced from Serum Institute also,” he said.

The Philippines has so far received 600,000 doses of China-made Sinovac vaccine named CoronaVac, which was donated by the Chinese government, and 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that were obtained via the COVAX facility for its mass COVID-19 vaccination program that started on March 1.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque earlier said over 114,500 individuals have already been vaccinated against the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes respiratory illness COVID-19 as of March 10.

KGA