Talks with Covax underway for 2 million bivalent Covid-19 vax doses - DOH
By Dhel Nazario
The Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday, June 22 that there is an ongoing negotiation with the Covax facility to facilitate the country's request for two million doses of Covid-19 bivalent vaccines.
*A vial of a Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine used for the A1 category at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Thursday, June 22, 2023. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the event and was accompanied by Department of Health (DOH) Regional Director Dr. Aleli Anne Grace P. Sudiacal and other city officials. (Noel B. Pabalate/Manila Bulletin)*
In a statement, DOH said that the negotiations include the requisite documents and legal requirements to be signed and submitted by the Philippine Government since this will be the first time again that the country will be receiving vaccines from the COVAX Facility after RA 11525 ceased.
"Once these documents are cleared and submitted, approval of allocation by COVAX will follow to commence the delivery," DOH said.
DOH recently received 390,000 doses of bivalent vaccines which were donated by the Covax facility on June 13 while 391,000 bivalent vaccines from the Lithuanian government last were also received last June 3.
According to the agency, it will prioritize administering these donated vaccines as a third booster shot to healthcare workers and the elderly population who had their second booster four to six months ago.
Newly-appointed Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro "Ted" Herbosa recently led the inoculation of bivalent Covid-19 booster shots on Wednesday, June 21, at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.
There, Herbosa received his bivalent booster shot, followed by over 2,500 healthcare workers.
Covid-19 bivalent vaccines were designed to specifically target the Omicron variant and its subvariants.
*A vial of a Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine used for the A1 category at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Thursday, June 22, 2023. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the event and was accompanied by Department of Health (DOH) Regional Director Dr. Aleli Anne Grace P. Sudiacal and other city officials. (Noel B. Pabalate/Manila Bulletin)*
In a statement, DOH said that the negotiations include the requisite documents and legal requirements to be signed and submitted by the Philippine Government since this will be the first time again that the country will be receiving vaccines from the COVAX Facility after RA 11525 ceased.
"Once these documents are cleared and submitted, approval of allocation by COVAX will follow to commence the delivery," DOH said.
DOH recently received 390,000 doses of bivalent vaccines which were donated by the Covax facility on June 13 while 391,000 bivalent vaccines from the Lithuanian government last were also received last June 3.
According to the agency, it will prioritize administering these donated vaccines as a third booster shot to healthcare workers and the elderly population who had their second booster four to six months ago.
Newly-appointed Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro "Ted" Herbosa recently led the inoculation of bivalent Covid-19 booster shots on Wednesday, June 21, at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.
There, Herbosa received his bivalent booster shot, followed by over 2,500 healthcare workers.
Covid-19 bivalent vaccines were designed to specifically target the Omicron variant and its subvariants.