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MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines will take delivery of their first COVID-19 vaccines this weekend, which will allow them to launch their vaccination program from next week, a senior official said on Thursday.
Despite having among the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Asia, the Philippines will be the last country in Southeast Asia to receive its first round of vaccines.
The delivery of 600,000 doses of Sinovac Biotech vaccine, donated by China, will arrive on Sunday, said Harry Roque, spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte.
“It is taking place on Monday because our compatriots are excited,” he said of the vaccination program.
Among the first to be inoculated will be an official from a hospital who has lost both parents to the coronavirus, as well as a tricycle driver, Roque said.
The Philippines has ordered 25 million doses from Sinovac and was supposed to receive its first batch on February 23. This was delayed, the emergency use authorization was only given this week.
Besides Sinovac, 10,000 doses of a vaccine developed by the Chinese Sinopharm will arrive soon, under “compassionate use” for the security service of Duterte. The doses of AstraZeneca will arrive in March, Roque said.
“I have to admit that if we insist on Western brands, we will still wait for its arrival,” he added.
Duterte, who has had closer ties with China and has strained relations with many Western countries, has previously said he is keen to get COVID-19 vaccines from China or Russia.
The immunization program will be crucial to the Philippines’ efforts to revive its economy, which suffered a record 9.5% decline last year due to tight and lengthy lockdowns that affected consumer spending and resulted in large job losses.
(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty)
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