Quezon City secures 1.1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine

The Quezon City government said Monday it was able to secure 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for its resident.

“This is part of the plan of our Task Force Vax to Normal. Now that we have secured 1.1 million doses, we will continue talking to other pharmaceutical companies to secure more vaccines for QCitizens to complement the national government’s goal. When more QCitizens are vaccinated, we can soon achieve herd immunity,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a press release.

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According to Belmonte, around 550,000 Quezon City residents would benefit from the 1.1 million doses, as the Astrazeneca-Oxford vaccine comes in two doses. The vaccines are expected to arrive by the third quarter of this year.

Task Force Vax to Normal co-chairperson Joseph Juico said the local government would be hands-on on its vaccination program that would include identification of beneficiaries, administration of the vaccines, and monitoring of the residents who would receive the vaccine.

“While we will be handling all systems and processes of this program, the national government will supervise us in all areas. We will ensure that our efforts are in line with the national government’s roadmap and vaccine guidelines,” Juico said.

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Quezon City government would also hire more healthcare personnel for its COVID-19 vaccination program. It is also finalizing its vaccination sites, which will be scattered in nine areas across the city.

LGUs secure vaccine deals with AstraZeneca

Aside from Quezon City, San Juan City, Valenzuela City, Vigan, Caloocan City, Pasig City, and Iloilo City also confirmed their local governments have signed deals with AstraZeneca for COVID-19 vaccine supplies.

Corp. also ordered 450,000 doses of  COVID-19 vaccine worth P120 million, half of which would be donated to the government.

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Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corp. chief operating officer said the private sector would assist the government in the vaccines’ procurement and distribution nationwide.

AstraZeneca said earlier its COVID-19 vaccine was 70% effective in crucial trials and could be up to 90% effective.

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.