MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said a delay in the arrival of the Covid-19 bivalent vaccines in the country is expected.
“For the bivalent vaccines, we are encountering delays,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said at a press briefing.
She explained that the delay is due to the non-extension of the declaration of a state of calamity by President Marcos beyond 2022.
“When the state of calamity was lifted, alongside this are the conditions such as immunity from liability and the indemnification clauses, which are required by vaccine manufacturers, and even with international agreements,” she explained.
Vergeire said they are now seeking guidance from the Office of the President (OP) regarding the matter.
“We are asking for guidance coming from the OP if we can enter into this agreement with this immunity from liability and indemnification clauses so that we can go ahead with the negotiations,” said the health official.
Earlier, the DOH announced 1,002,000 bivalent vaccines, specifically donations from the COVAX Facility, are set to arrive in the country before the end of this month, slated for A1 (health care workers) and A2 (senior citizens) priority groups.
Despite the expected bivalent jabs, the DOH spokesperson pointed out that this will not result in more vaccine wastage, particularly the monovalent types.
She said the monovalent vaccines will continuously be used for those not yet eligible to get the bivalent jab, noting that these bivalent vaccines will then be integrated in the country’s overall Covid-19 vaccination program.
Three years after Covid-19 struck the Philippines, the DOH said the country is now better prepared for the next pandemic.
“So right now in the country, because of the low number of cases, the situation is manageable. We are much better prepared now. Our surveillance system and sequencing system are working. We now have clinical pathways. Our doctors are very good because of experience and technology,” Vergeire added.
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