CHINA ALL | First COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines likely to come from China, says Galvez

December 9, 2020 , 12:27 PM

(December 9, 2020) – The Philippines could receive its first COVID-19 vaccine from China, the government’s vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday.

Galvez expressed his confidence in securing China’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine, which could arrive as early as the first quarter of next year. He also mentioned the possibility of procuring Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute vaccine.

“IP biotech said that if we will be able to have a consummation of contract, when we already successfully sign the contract, they can provide it after 60 to 90 days, meaning two to three months,” said Galvez in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.

IP Biotech is an importer, wholesaler, and retail administrator of vaccines in the Philippines for the last 15 years.

“Nakikita natin ‘yung Sinovac, there is more confidence because Brazil and Indonesia have already gotten some of those,” added Galvez.

He also downplayed growing fears against vaccines coming from China.

“I was briefed by the vaccine expert panel and based on their evaluation, Sinovac and the Chinese vaccines are very safe because it came from the classical inactivated virus platform,” assured Galvez.

Galvez said that Western-made COVID-19 vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca might come at a later time as their countries of origin will be prioritized, further explaining that more than 80% of vaccine manufacturing capacity has been procured by first world countries.

The Philippines is hoping to vaccinate about 50-60% of the population to achieve herd immunity from COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, the Department of Health confirmed that three vaccine makers, namely Europe-based Janssen and AstraZeneca and China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals were able to pass the ethics review board (ERB). They now await the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct clinical trials in the country.

(Kiko Demigillo/PM)

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