Two million more Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to the Philippines on Thursday morning.
The shipment includes the 400,000 doses purchased by the Manila local government, while the rest were brought by the national government.
The Sinovac vaccines arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at 7:26 a.m. via a chartered Cebu Pacific flight.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno welcomed the latest batch of Sinovac vaccines.
The 2 million doses are the 12th batch of Sinovac vaccines delivered to the country. In total, the Philippines received 11 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from Chinese firm Sinovac.
The country has received 16.2 million COVID-19 vaccines from Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V and Pfizer-BioNTech.
Based on the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluation, Sinovac has the following efficacy rates:
- 65% to 91% among healthy individuals aged 18 to 59,
- 50.4% for health workers, and
- 51% to 52% on senior citizens or those aged 60 and above
2 million Sinovac vaccines arrive in PH
Sinovac’s vaccine is given in two doses.
Meanwhile, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday the delivery of some 50,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 would be delayed.
According to Galvez, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) informed the National Task Force Against COVID-19 vaccine cluster on June 20 that the delivery of the vaccines would be deferred “due to ongoing upgrades and latest developments on the vaccine.”
“RDIF has committed to update the Philippine Government on the definite date of delivery of the vaccines,” he said.
The 50,000 Sputnik V vaccines would serve as the second dose for those vaccinated early this month with the brand’s Component I vaccines.
“We have already informed all local government units who have administered the first dose of Sputnik V to their constituents that the schedule for the second shot will likewise be pushed back and will be rescheduled,” Galvez said.
The vaccine czar also assured the public that the “unforeseen delay” in the delivery would not in any way compromise the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines.
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