The DOH would buy Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine doses using its savings, according to Duque.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday said that the Department of Health (DOH) would use its savings in order to buy China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines.
During the Laging Handa public briefing, Duque said that the Department of Health would buy 50,000 Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines using its savings.
“Ang paggagamitan po nu’ng [savings], sa Sinovac na aangkatin natin. Kaunti lang [muna] ito, 50,000 doses muna ang babayaran. Iyan ang sabi ng National Task Force [Against COVID-19]. Meron pong savings na puwedeng magamit para sa [pambili ng] bakuna, at tinitignan po natin iyong Sinovac para sa karagdagan o sa labas ng donated ng 600,000 [doses]. Diyan po gagamitin ‘yan,” Duque said.
Duque was referring to the 600,000 Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine doses donated to the Philippines by the Chinese government.
READ ALSO: FDA OKs Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine For Emergency Use In PH
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially announced that it had issued an emergency use authorization for the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine shortly after Duque’s disclosure.
According to FDA Director-General Eric Domingo, the efficacy rate of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine ranged from 65.3 percent to 91.2 percent among healthy people aged 18 to 59.
However, the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine wasn’t recommended for use on healthcare workers which was the highest priority group in the Philippine government’s national vaccination program.
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