ILOILO CITY EYES SINGLE-JAB VACCINE

The Iloilo City government is eyeing to buy additional COVID-19 vaccines from American firm Johnson & Johnson.

According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the company presented its proposal to supply additional vaccines to the city.

“Johnson & Johnson presented their proposal to the Iloilo City government to provide additional immunity for our residents,” he announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

Based on an article published by Science News, the single-shot coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson is 85 percent effective at preventing severe cases and death. It was also found to be effective against new COVID-19 variants.

The mayor said they will closely coordinate with the national Inter-Agency Task Force to discuss the procurement process.

He emphasized the need to purchase additional COVID-19 vaccines for the city’s long-term goal of immunizing all residents.

“Providing immunity from Covid-19 for our residents is very important. We must prepare to immunize our residents in a long-term goal,” he added.

Iloilo City earlier signed a multilateral agreement for the advance purchase of AstraZeneca vaccines. A P200-million budget was set aside for 600,000 doses.

The city is anticipating the arrival of the vaccines in June or July this year.

Treñas also expressed willingness to purchase Covovax, which was developed by US-based biotechnology company Novavax, alongside Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The mayor said the vaccine from the company will be available by third or four quarter this year upon the approval of the NIATF.

 

3M DOSES FOR NEGROS OCC

Meanwhile, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday that the provincial government of Negros Occidental has been assured by the national government of 3 million doses of vaccine to be administered to 70 percent of its population or 1.5 million residents.

Diaz said that per advice by provincial consultant Alfredo Benitez and reiterated by the Department of Health-Western Visayas, 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine will arrive in the country by the second week of February.

“Two weeks after, about 3.5 million to 9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine will follow, which is a national allocation,” Diaz said.

He told reporters here that “while we are not optimistic to receive a share of Pfizer vaccine shipment, with metro cities being prioritized for its distribution due to requirements of cold storage, there is a big chance for AstraZeneca shipment, which is only enough for the province’s health workers and frontliners.”

“We rely on former Rep. Benitez and other Negros Occidental solons to help us secure a reasonable share,” Diaz said.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental already purchased 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, which is expected to arrive in the province in the third quarter of 2021.

Diaz also said that identification and registration of persons eligible for vaccination, based on the issued guidelines of the Department of Health, is now ongoing in the province and various local government units.

At the same time, he said that they are also preparing their vaccinators and vaccination centers, which will include rural health centers.

During a recent zoom meeting between vaccine czar Carlito Galvez and League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), which was also attended by Health Secretary Francisco Duque, the national government announced that it will also provide consumables, such as syringes, needles, cotton balls, and alcohol, aside from vaccines, during the mass inoculations.

The obligation of LGUs, he said, is to gather all garbage, including vials, and return these to DOH for proper disposal.

Diaz also said the private sector is willing to extend help in the storage of vaccines, especially that of Pfizer, which requires -80 degrees Celsius storage. (ERS and Dolly Yasa)