Iloilo City makes partial payment for AstraZeneca vaccines

The Iloilo City government has already paid 20% of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines it ordered.

According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the initial downpayment made by the city government has already been credited to the company’s account.

“The 20% down payment for 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca has been confirmed to have been credited to the account of the company. This confirms the order of Iloilo City for 300,000 persons,” he announced on Wednesday evening.

The city government ordered 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines which will cover 300,000 or 60% of the city’s population.

A multilateral agreement has been signed between the city government, the national government, and the pharmaceutical company last January for Iloilo City’s advance purchase of AstraZeneca AZD 1222 vaccines.

The city government initially allotted PHP200-million for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines.

In their official website, AstraZeneca has confirmed the increased efficacy of their vaccines with longer inter-dose interval.

The Lancet also noted that primary analysis of the Phase III clinical trials from the UK, Brazil and South Africa revealed that the Covid-19 vaccine of AstraZeneca is safe and effective at preventing Covid-19, with no severe cases and no hospitalizations, more than 22 days after the first dose.

Results demonstrated vaccine efficacy of 76% (CI: 59% to 86%) after a first dose, with protection maintained to the second dose. With an inter-dose interval of 12 weeks or more, vaccine efficacy increased to 82% (CI: 63%, 92%).

Iloilo City is expecting the arrival of AstraZeneca vaccines within second quarter of this year. (ERS)