Chinese-donated vaccines to arrive 'within a month' -- Roque

The country's coronavirus vaccine supply will get a boost from the forthcoming donation by China.

Around 600,000 doses of vaccines to be given by China are expected to be delivered to the country "within a month," according to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

"We are also expecting within a month about 600,000 dosages of donated Chinese vaccines," Roque said over ANC television Wednesday, Feb. 10. "This is separate from what we ordered. This is what the Chinese Foreign Ambassador promised the President that they will be donating," he added.

Roque said they expect the Chinese-donated vaccines must have regulatory approval from local authorities before they are used.  "Well, it’s a donation, but of course, like Indonesia, because what happened in Indonesia was they received first the vaccines if it will arrive soon but they cannot administer it without EUA (emergency use authorization)," he said.

Asked if the vaccines will be returned if they fail to pass the scrutiny of the Food and Drug Administration, Roque said: "Definitely but the vaccines, I think, will be donated to us have also been approved and given EUAs in other countries."

China earlier promised to donate half a million coronavirus vaccine doses to the Philippines reportedly in line with President Xi Jinping's commitment to President Duterte.  The pledge was made during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila last month.

As the government moves to contain the coronavirus outbreak while safely reopening the economy, the country's first batch of coronavirus vaccines will come from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX facility. The supply includes 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines that will be distributed for free to the country's health workers. An additional 5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines are also expected from the global vaccine scheme.

The Palace initially announced the vaccines are expected to arrive mid-February but later clarified that the actual date of delivery will depend on the COVAX facility.