THE National Task Force against the coronavirus disease (NTF COVID-19) yesterday said more vaccines will be sent to Mindanao as soon as more supplies arrive in the country, including 1.5 million doses of the Chinese Sinovac Biotech vaccine expected today.
NTF chief and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., in a statement, said President Duterte ordered the deployment of more vaccines to Mindanao but did not say how many doses will be sent to the region.
“We are getting more vaccines there very soon, and Mindanao will not be left behind. This is my promise to all Mindanaoans,” said Galvez, a retired military general who had been assigned to Mindanao.
Galvez noted the country is expecting at lease six million doses this month, including the 1.5 million doses of CoronaVac from Sinovac.
At least 7.5 million doses of Sinovac have been delivered to the country since February 28, including one million doses donated by Chinese government.
Also arriving this month are 250,000 doses from Moderna, 2.5 million more doses from Sinovac, and at least two million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.
The country has received 12.46 million doses since February. The national vaccination program started on March 1.
The NTF said that as of June 14, about 1.7 million doses have been delivered to Mindanao, with almost half distributed to areas most affected by COVID-19 like the Davao Region and Cagayan de Oro City.
The NTF said vaccines were also sent to Dipolog, Zamboanga, Butuan and Cotabato, General Santos, and Koronadal cities and the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Bukidnon.
The Armed Forces said at least 35,000 soldiers and its medical frontliners have been fully-vaccinated with Sinovac and AstraZeneca shots, including AFP chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana who got his second dose in April, said Navy Capt. Jonathan Zata, chief of the AFP’s public affairs office.
The AFP has a total strength of 180,000, including civilian workers like doctors and nurses.
Zata said the fully-vaccinated personnel are mostly doctors and nurses and other frontliners in different military hospitals and soldiers involved in the fight against COVID-19.
The Supreme Court started on Tuesday the vaccination of its employees who belong to priority group A4.13 which covers workers in essential sectors.
The judiciary has some 30,000 officials and workers nationwide.
The SC has allotted P19 million to procure COVID-19 vaccines for judiciary employees. — With Victor Reyes and Ashzel Hachero
