MANILA – The Philippines has 17 possible sources of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine as the country aims to purchase millions of doses by early next year.
According to COVID-19 vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., nine out of 17 sources of the vaccine are currently in Phase 3 trials, in which the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness results were evaluated from the early stages.
“Sa (9) Phase 3 trials, tatlo po doon ang magkakaroon po ng trial dito po sa atin this coming December and January,” Galvez said during President Rodrigo Duterte’s public briefing on Tuesday night.
Galvez added that businesses donated thousands of doses of initial coronavirus vaccines.
“Hopefully, baka tataas pa ‘yun ng one to two million doses. Ido-donate po nila ‘yung 80 to 50 percent of the vaccine, at saka ‘yung iba gagamitin sa kanilang poor essential workers. At no cost po sa ‘tin,” Galvez said.
Galvez, who also serves as chief implementer of the National Task Force against COVID-19, is hopeful that the Philippines will be able to procure 30 to 50 million doses by next year.
The initial batch of vaccines will be for frontliners, indigents and the vulnerable sectors. The inoculation rollout will largely depend on the financing, development and approval of the vaccines.
US-based pharmaceutical firms Moderna Inc. and Pfizer earlier announced their COVID-19 vaccines were more than 90 percent effective against the deadly disease./PN
