3.4 million Pfizer shots donated by US arrive in Philippines
MANILA, Philippines —The US, in partnership with the COVAX Facility, this week donated an additional 3.4 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines.
The vaccines are part of the 500 million Pfizer doses donated by the US to the world through COVAX, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The first shipment of 1.78 million doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday and was received by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., US Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava, and other representatives. Another 1.62 million doses were delivered on December 21.
The 3.4 million doses are the largest single donation of the Pfizer vaccine to the Philippines from the 500 million made available by the US, a longtime ally and former colonizer of Manila.
In a statement on the donation released by the US consulate, Variava also extended "heartfelt sympathies to those affected by Typhoon Odette," the strongest storm to ravage the Philippines this year.
"We are supporting ongoing Philippine response efforts and exploring ways to further assist communities in need," she added. "We also remain committed to partnering with the Philippines to protect Filipinos from COVID-19."
The US said it has facilitated the delivery of more than 53 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines as the largest donor to the COVAX facility. Of these doses, the embassy said, 22 million were donated by the American people.
The embassy added that the vaccines donated by the US are enough to fully vaccinate 10% of all Filipinos.
In addition to vaccine donations, the US said it provided the Philippines with more than P1.9 billion in COVID-19 assistance to support testing, critical care, communication campaigns, health worker protection and training, vaccine deployment, and necessary equipment and supplies.
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