Philippines starts coronavirus vaccinations but supply, demand uncertain

By Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales
MANILA, March 1 (Reuters) - The Philippines kicked off its
COVID-19 vaccination programme on Monday, with health workers
the first to be inoculated in a delayed campaign as the country
tries to secure supplies to address one of Asia's most stubborn
coronavirus epidemics.
Healthcare workers in six government hospitals in the
capital region received Sinovac Biotech SVA.O vaccines donated
by China on Sunday, the only doses the Philippines has received
so far. "You truly are the heroes during this time of the pandemic
so it is just right that you be the first in line to receive the
vaccines," Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told health
workers.
The Philippines has reported 576,352 COVID-19 cases overall,
including infections with the more infectious British
coronavirus variant. It has recorded 12,318 deaths.
It aims this year to inoculate 70 million of its 108 million
people to achieve herd immunity and reopen an economy that in
2020 saw its worst contraction on record, due largely to tight
restrictions on movement in place since mid-March.
The Philippines is playing catchup with its Southeast Asian
neighbours despite having one of the region's worst coronavirus
problems.
It was the last to start its immunisation programme and has
a challenge not only to ensure supply of vaccines, but to
convince its people to take them, amid concerns over safety.
Carlito Galvez, the former general who heads the
government's vaccine strategy, said the Philippines might not
move forward unless everyone is immunised.
"It is our moral obligation," said Galvez, who received his
injection live on television and said the vaccines were "doses
of hope".
The government has been in talks with most major
manufacturers of coronavirus vaccines for a combined 161 million
doses but has struggled to conclude deals, while stiff
competition has tightened supply.
The programme's launch has been delayed several times, with
the latest setback a delay to the 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN)'s
AZN.L vaccine that were supposed to arrive on Monday.