Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said their department has commenced the rollout of the first wave of COVID-19 bivalent vaccines, and negotiations are underway to secure additional doses.
The official revealed this update on Tuesday, emphasizing that the vaccines have already been redistributed to various regional offices of the DOH.
“I think they have already been redistributed to the different region(al offices) of the Department of Health,” said Herbosa.
In order to acquire more bivalent vaccines, Herbosa explained that they must undergo registration with the Philippines' Food and Drugs Administration. It is essential to adhere to this process to ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
Given that the public health emergency has been lifted, the emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines has been rescinded.
Consequently, any vaccines administered must have the appropriate authorization and regulatory approval.
On June 3, the initial batch of bivalent vaccines arrived in the country. The donation, consisting of 390,000 doses, was provided by the Lithuanian government. These doses are set to expire on November 23.
Secretary Herbosa highlighted that the majority of the bivalent vaccines have been allocated to Metro Manila, addressing the needs of the capital region.
