2.4 million expiring AstraZeneca vaccines already injected

The Department of Health (DOH) has already used 2.4 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines before its feared expiration this end of June.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that of the 2.5 million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, there are only 100,000 left. They are confident they will be able to use them before the end of the month.

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The DOH first announced that about 1.5 million AstraZeneca vaccines would expire on June 30, while another 1 million doses will expire by the end of July.

It is expected that 11 million doses of the vaccine will arrive this month. About 60% of it will be distributed to vaccination sites in the National Capital Region (NCR) and in the eight provinces that are in high demand.

As of June 8, 1.6 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated, while 4.6 million have received the first dose.

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Meanwhile, the government will not distribute about one million doses of Sinovac COVID-vaccines pending further documentation from its manufacturer.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the pending document is Sinovac’s certificate of analysis for one million doses of the vaccine that arrived in the country last week.

She said they could not distribute or transport the vaccines for their recipients if the document were not complete.

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2.4 million expiring AstraZeneca vaccines already injected

It may be recalled that last month, the distribution of Sinovac to vaccination sites was also delayed due to the lack of such a certificate.

Meanwhile, Vergeire assured that they are already handling the deployment of 2.2 million new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines.

According to Vergeire, 40% of the new Pfizer shipment will go to Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal, where COVID-19 cases are high.

The remaining 60% will be deployed in other areas that also record high numbers of infections.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) has clarified how an individual who has been injected with complete doses of the  vaccine can be considered .

DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said, just because the doses are done does not mean you get the full benefit of the vaccine right away.

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