US gave PH ‘very positive response’ to its request for surplus vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — The US responded very positively to the Philippines’ request for unused COVID-19 vaccines, National Task Force against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon said Tuesday.

Dizon said the Philippine government asked the US government for some of its unused COVID-19 vaccines, particularly those from British-Swede drug firm AstraZeneca.

“Sa balita na binigay sa amin ni Ambassador Babes Romualdez, very positive po ang naging response ng US government tungkol sa ating request lalo na doon sa mga AstraZeneca vaccines na nasa America ngayon na hindi pa nila ginagamit,” he said in a Palace briefing.

(As per the news that the ambassador relayed to us, the US government gave a very positive response to our request especially for AstraZeneca vaccines that they have not used yet.)

When talks are done, these vaccines would be donated by the US government, Dizon said. The US government will give updates in the following weeks.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said the government is seeking to buy excess or unused AstraZeneca vaccines from countries Israel, United States, and the United Kingdom.

READ: PH eyes buying excess AstraZeneca shots from Israel, US, UK

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