OFFICIALS say about 60 million Filipinos are being focused for Covid-19 vaccinations subsequent yr at a value of greater than 73 billion pesos (RM5.72bil) to develop appreciable immunity among the many majority.
Carlito Galvez Jr, who oversees authorities efforts to safe the vaccines, mentioned negotiations have been underway with 4 Western and Chinese language pharmaceutical firms, together with US-based Pfizer Inc. and China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd., to safe the vaccines early subsequent yr.
One firm based mostly within the UK, AstraZeneca, can commit to provide as much as 20 million vaccines, he mentioned.
“We will target the most vulnerable and the poorest communities in affected areas, ” Galvez mentioned, addressing who could be prioritised for vaccination.
President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned he needed police and army personnel to be prioritised for his or her many sacrifices, together with in catastrophe response work.
“I need healthy military and police because if they all get sick there’s nobody I can rely on, ” he mentioned.
The Philippines has seen over 420,000 confirmed instances, the second-most in South-East Asia behind Indonesia, and eight,173 deaths. — AP
