A nurse gets a swab from a health worker in a booth set up in a hospital parking lot as the Philippines ramps up testing for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Manila, Philippines. (Reuters)
The Philippines will get 2.6 million shots of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca under the country’s first supply deal for a coronavirus vaccine, senior officials said on Friday.
This supply, to be paid for by the private sector, will inoculate over 1 million Filipinos as the British drugmaker’s vaccine requires two doses, said Jose Concepcion, a government business adviser representing the private sector.
Carlito Galvez, a top coronavirus task force official, said authorities were also negotiating with AstraZeneca a possible purchase of a further 1 million doses of the vaccine.
Read more: Coronavirus: Philippines targeting 60 million citizens for vaccination next year
