An official from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Monday that the mass COVID-19 vaccination is expected to start by either June or July 2021.
“Kung ang ibig ninyong sabihin ng mass vaccination ay million ang bibigyan ng bakuna, ang atin pong estimate dito ay sa second quarter pa rin po next year. So either po June or July,” Philippine Council for Health Research Development executive director Dr. Jaime Montoya said.
(If you mean mass vaccination, millions will be vaccinated, our estimate here is still in the second quarter next year. So either June or July.)
“Pero patuloy po ang negosasyon natin sa mga supplier ng bakuna, na kung sila magiging successful, sana po ay mas mapaaga ‘yung availability ng bakuna,” he added.
(But we continue to negotiate with vaccine suppliers that if they become successful, I hope the availability of vaccines will be made easier.)
Last week, the Philippine government signed an agreement with British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the private sector to purchase 2 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.
AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine was 70% effective in crucial trials and could be up to 90% effective.
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DOST: Mass COVID-19 vaccination may start by June-July 2021
The drugmaker also said that it would manufacture as many as 200 million doses by the end of 2020. The number was 400 times higher than U.S. competitor Pfizer Inc. AstraZeneca said 700 million doses could be available worldwide by the end of the first quarter of 2021.
AstraZeneca has also submitted the necessary documents to Philippine health authorities to conduct clinical trials for its vaccine.
Last week, Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced that over 35 million Filipinos would be prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Galvez said the COVID-19 vaccine priority list was endorsed by the Department of Health (DOH) and was crafted with the guidance of President Rodrigo Duterte.
As a strategy, the vaccine czar said the immunization would start in areas most affected and those considered business centers.
Galvez said the areas include the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.