FILE PHOTO: A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” sticker and a medical syringe in front of displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo
MANILA, Philippines — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will “give his best try” to get even a fraction of the 10 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for the Philippines, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro. Locsin Jr. said after a recent conversation with the ranking US government official.
Great phone conversation with Mike Pompeo last night. Lotsa laughs at others. But on the most serious note I asked him to help Babe and I get back even a fraction of the 10 million doses of Pfizer after someone dropped the ball. He’ll give it his best try. Babe’s securing Moderna
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) December 19, 2020
In a tweet, Locsin bared that he had a “great phone conversation” with Pompeo the night before.
“Lotsa laughs at others. But on the most serious note I asked him to help Babe and I get back even a fraction of the 10 million doses of Pfizer after someone dropped the ball. He’ll give it his best try,” Locsin said.
It was also Locsin who previously bared that “someone dropped the ball” as the Philippines was supposed to get 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, however, denied that someone “dropped the ball” in acquiring the vaccines, saying that the government’s negotiation with Pfizer is ongoing.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said that he was able to talk to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez about the official to “dropped the ball” on the vaccine deal, adding that Duque was not able to work on the documentary requirements needed.
Aside from the Pfizer vaccine deal, Locsin also bared that the ambassador was also working on securing vaccine doses from Moderna.
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine was the second to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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