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Philippines to receive first COVID-19 vaccines, start inoculations next week

Published 02/25/2021, 01:53 PM
Updated 02/25/2021, 02:00 PM
© Reuters
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MANILA, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The Philippines will take
delivery of its first COVID-19 vaccines at the weekend, allowing
it to kick off its inoculation programme from next week, a
senior official said on Thursday.
Despite having among the highest number of coronavirus cases
and deaths in Asia, the Philippines will be the last Southeast
Asian country to receive its initial set of vaccines.
The delivery of 600,000 doses Sinovac Biotech 's SVA.O
vaccines, donated by China, will arrive on Sunday, said Harry
Roque, spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte.
"It rolls out on Monday because our countrymen are excited,"
he said of the vaccination programme.
Among the first to be inoculated will be an official from a
hospital who lost both parents to the coronavirus, plus a
tricycle driver, Roque said.
The Philippines has ordered 25 million doses from Sinovac
and was supposed to receive its first batch on Feb. 23. That was
delayed emergency use authorisation was only given this week.
Aside from Sinovac, 10,000 doses of a vaccine developed by
China's Sinopharm will arrive soon, under a "compassionate use"
for Duterte's security detail. Doses from AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) will
arrive in March, Roque said.
"I have to admit, if we insisted on Western brands, we will
still wait for its arrival," he added.
Duterte, who has pursued warmer ties with China and has a
strained relationship with many Western countries, has
previously said he wanted to procure COVID-19 vaccines from
China or Russia.
The vaccination programme will be crucial for Philippine
efforts to revive its economy, which suffered a record 9.5%
slump last year due to strict and lengthy lockdowns that hit
consumer spending and saw big job losses.

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