MANILA, Philippines — An administration adviser on Tuesday said some 1.3 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine will be delivered to private firms next month, as part of the tripartite deal that it secured last year.
The private sector inked the agreement with the British-Swedish manufacturer and the national government in November 2020, for 2.6 million doses amounting to P600 million.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion told a Laging Handa briefing that close to a 100 companies will be covered by the delivery of the first batch.
He said he is in talks with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to come up with a memorandum encouraging employees to get the jabs once available.
"If only 70% of employees will be vaccinated, we will not achieve herd immunity in the country and factory safety," he said in Filipino. "The remaining 30% can still be infected."
Concepcion said firms have partnered with Zuellig Pharma as the logistical provider for the effort, where AstraZeneca doses would be stored in its warehouses.
It will also handle the delivery of the jabs to vaccination sites selected by the private sector with approval from the Department of Health.
He added that the second batch of the vaccine's delivery is slated by July onwards.
The Philippines has signed supply deals for 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in total, counting already the 2.6 million from firms.
Inoculation efforts began in March as government looks to vaccinate 50 to 70 million in 2021. As of May 1, the DOH said over 284,000 have been fully vaccinated, while 1.65 million got their first dose.
So far, only three vaccines have arrived in the country: China's Sinovac, AstraZeneca under COVAX facility, and an initial 15,000 from Russia's Gamaleya.