MANILA, Philippines — The government is revising its strategy on vaccine allocation as the record-breaking wave of COVID-19 cases in India is expected to affect its domestic vaccine supply.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted on Wednesday that India has halted commitments to other countries that are expected to receive their COVID-19 vaccines.
“Because of what is happening in India, they have stopped muna ‘yung kanilang commitments to other countries. Hindi lang naman tayo ang medyo nagkaroon ng ganyang issue,” she said in an online press briefing.
(Because of what is happening in India, they have temporarily stopped their commitments to other countries. We are not the only ones facing that issue.)
“Ang ating plano is nagkaroon ng restrategiz[ation]. Nagrestrategize ang vaccine cluster on how we can be able to apportion kung ano ‘yung mga darating na bakuna supposedly. But because of what is happening in India, nagkaroon ng redistribution ng dapat na mga bakuna na darating by May, June, July because of this issue,” she added.
(FILE) A notice about the shortage of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine supplies is seen at a vaccination center, in Mumbai, India, April 8, 2021. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
(The vaccine cluster has restrategized how we can we able to apportion the vaccines that were supposed to arrive. But because of what is happening in India, there was a redistribution of the vaccines that were supposed to arrive by May, June, and July.)
Vergeire said the government’s plan for vaccination is “flexible” and can be adjusted in view of these unexpected scenarios.
Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of India Ramon Bagatsing Jr. earlier said that 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from American firm Novavax, which is being manufactured in India, are set to arrive in the country in September.
Meanwhile, he added that another 8 million doses from Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin are scheduled to arrive in May.
Malacañang earlier said that the Philippines will bar the entry of travelers from India starting April 29 to May 14 amid the surge of COVID-19 cases in the South Asian nation.
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