American biotechnology company Moderna Inc. is accelerating a huge shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Sunday.
He said the information came from Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez.
“More good news from Babe: Moderna on board and accelerating huge shipment. Everything’s falling back into place,” Locsin said in a tweet.
“We will have a complete range of vaccines from least effective to most available for everyone to choose from,” he added.
Romualdez had earlier said that the Philippines will be able to secure between up to 25 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna Inc. and Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. in the third quarter of 2021.
But Locsin said no vaccine will be mass deployed “unless the official recommending it for mass deployment is seen taking it himself.”
“The only proof of the pudding is in the eating it oneself and no one else in his place until we see the side effects of the pudding if any,” the Foreign Affairs chief added.
Last Dec. 18, the US Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna which will be distributed in the US for use in individuals 18-years-old and older.
It said Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine has met the statutory criteria for issuance of an EUA based on the totality of the available data which provides clear evidence that it may be effective in preventing the dreaded novel coronavirus disease.
American drugmaker Pfizer submitted its application for EUA of its COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines Sunday, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
Locsin said the country has so far secured 2.6 million doses from British drugmaker AstraZeneca through the help of the private sector.
The Philippines has been assured of 30 million doses of Indian-made Novavax COVID-19 vaccine which may be made available by July.
The national government is also eyeing to buy China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine but some lawmakers continue to question its 50 percent efficacy rate, citing that it would be a waste of resources.
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