COVAX to replace 3.6 million expiring vaccine doses

MANILA, Philippines — Vaccine-sharing platform COVAX is willing to replace 3.6 million doses of COVID-19 jabs that have expired in the Philippines, as the Department of Health (DOH) strives to inoculate more people to prevent another surge in infections.

During a meeting of the government’s pandemic task force last Monday, President Duterte asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III if the companies that produced the vaccines would replace the spoiled jabs.

“The expired ones have reached about 3.6 million doses, which is just about 1.46 percent of our total inventory of vaccines. So yes sir, they will be replaced. The COVAX Facility will replace them. We met yesterday and they already have a letter addressed to us,” Duque replied.

He said the COVAX Facility, which serves as the conduit for the donated vaccines, has a stockpile with longer shelf life and that the country’s expired vaccines would be replaced at no extra cost to the Philippines.

Secretary Carlito Galvez said the country has about 98 million vaccine doses currently in storage, which is enough to sustain the vaccination program for the entire year.

“The next administration will be happy, Mr. President, because there are more or less 98 to 100 (million) vaccine doses remaining and it does not need to buy because from what we are seeing in our talks, COVAX will really help and provide additional vaccines,” Duterte’s vaccine czar said in Filipino.

Also, about 33,600 additional pediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine procured by the government through the World Bank were set to arrive last night, while today, a bigger delivery of 465,600 doses of the same vaccine are to be flown in.

Prepare for surge

The DOH reiterated its appeal for Filipinos to get inoculated against COVID-19 and also take the booster shot, warning against a possible surge in infections.

“Avail of boosters while there are few people in vaccination centers, in vaccination sites. Do not get the booster when there is a surge. Why? First, the lines will be long again. There will be crowding in vaccination centers. Not only that, the vaccinations will be few. Why? Because the doctors, nurses will be back in the hospitals when there is a surge,” Duque said.

As of April 26, some 67.64 million or 75.15 percent of the target population have been vaccinated against COVID-19 while about 72.49 million have received one dose. Only more than 13 million persons have availed themselves of booster shots.

Galvez said some 1.8 million senior citizens remain unvaccinated, one of the sectors that will become vulnerable if the country experiences a surge in infections.

He also admitted that the giving of jabs to children aged five to 11 years old is “relatively slow.”

Low booster uptake

In a round table discussion organized by the Philippine College of Physicians and Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization yesterday, health experts reported that vaccine hesitancy continues to be a challenge in the Asia Pacific region, particularly for boosters.

“The booster uptake here in the Philippines is really low,” San Lazaro Hospital Adult Infectious Diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante said.

“This is driven by much vaccine hesitancy in terms of the adverse events, in terms of waning immunity, and some of these people have less confidence in getting the booster,” Solante added.

Dr. Sunate Chuenkitmongkol, of the Thailand National Vaccine Institute, said vaccine hesitancy is also evident in their country.

“People think that if they receive two doses, it is enough and don’t want to get anymore,” she noted. She said the third dose acceptance in Thailand, even among the elderly, is only 40 percent.

Meanwhile, around 2,100 individuals who are immunnocompromised (ICP) were given their second booster shot during the rollout last Monday.

At present, the second booster shot or fourth vaccine dose is only allowed to be given to ICPs, as recommended by the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC), the DOH said.

No go signal has yet been given by the HTAC to give second booster jabs to senior citizens and health care workers.

The DOH confirmed it is investigating reports that a hospital in Metro Manila had administered fourth doses to frontline health care workers and the elderly who are not ICPs.

ASEAN pandemic response

In another development, the Philippines pushed for effective vaccine and logistics management in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during the 8th meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies held recently.

Via video conference, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Daniel Espiritu underscored the need to allocate funds for research and development, genome sequencing, zoonotics, vaccine development and capacity building activities for medical and health professionals to prepare against future public health emergencies.

Other items discussed include the progress of ASEAN’s key initiatives on COVID-19 response, status and updates on pandemic recovery efforts, prioritization of the remaining allocation for the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, implementation of the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies and the establishment and operation of the ASEAN Center on Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government now recognizes the vaccination certificate issued by the Holy See for arrival quarantine protocols and for inter-zonal and intra-zonal movement.

As of yesterday, the country recognizes the vaccination certificates of 77 countries, territories and jurisdictions. – Sheila Crisostomo, Rudy Santos, Mayen Jaymalin, Pia Lee-Brago