MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government entered into a deal with British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca to secure doses of its coronavirus vaccine.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte signed a tripartite agreement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines and the National Task Force Against COVID-19, the city government announced Tuesday night.
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Pumirma na si Mayor Joy Belmonte sa tripartite agreement ng lokal na pamahalaan, national government sa pamamagitan ng...
Posted by Quezon City Government on Tuesday, January 5, 2021
The Quezon City government earlier said it was finalizing its talks with a pharmaceutical firm for the initial purchase of 750,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. It allocated an initial P1 billion in its 2021 budget to procure vaccines and supplies needed for mass immunization.
Some 10,000 health workers, 300,000 senior citizens and 20,000 adult persons with disabilities will be prioritized in the city’s vaccination plan. The local government will also prioritize other sectors as recommended by the World Health Organization.
“After implementing our test, isolate, and treat strategy, vaccination is our game plan now. This free vaccination program will definitely complete our efforts against the deadly virus,” Belmonte earlier said.
Belmonte signed the deal after the city council approved the resolution authorizing her to enter into a tripartite partnership for the advance purchase of COVID-19 vaccine doses.
Other cities in outbreak epicenter Metro Manila have also set aside funds for vaccine purchase, with the City of Manila launching a pre-registration program for residents who want to avail of free inoculation against COVID-19.
Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the NTF, said local governments could get COVID-19 vaccines for their constituents only through a tripartite agreement with manufacturers and the national government.
Quezon City, the most populous city in the country, has had 39,491 COVID-19 cases, according to the Department of Health. Of the figure, only 1,537 are active cases. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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Disclosure: Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is a shareholder of Philstar Global Corp., which operates digital news outlet Philstar.com. This article was produced following editorial guidelines.