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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) announced on Monday, March 29, 2021, that the region is set to receive additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
In a virtual press briefer, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH-7 spokesperson, said a total of 21,600 doses of CoronaVac, the COVID-19 vaccine brand from China’s Sinovac Biotech, will be allocated to Central Visayas.
This means that the region’s supply of COVID-19 vaccines will jump to 132, 360 from 110,760.
The vaccines will be shipped to the region in two batches, said Loreche.
“Out of the 400,000 doses our headquarters in Manila received from Sinovac, Central Visayas has a share of 7,200 doses which means we should be able to vaccinate additional 3,600 individuals,” said Loreche.
“We are also expecting the arrival of 14,400 doses which are part of the 1 million doses to arrive tonight (March 29), and then we will be able to vaccinate 7,200 more individuals,” she added.
But as to the dates on when these vaccines will be delivered to Central Visayas, Loreche said they are still waiting for further updates from DOH’s central office.
AstraZeneca
On the other hand, DOH-7 expressed optimism they will be able to administer all 30,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines set aside for Central Visayas’ medical frontliners before March ends.
Loreche on Monday said that as of March 28, they have already inoculated 23, 355 health workers with the vaccines manufactured by the British-Swedish drugmaker.
“This is actually a good number because it means we’re more than halfway in using all our 30,000 doses, and that it also means we’re having a great response rate from our healthcare workers who are willing to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca,” Loreche explained.
DOH-7 has extended the deadline for all hospitals and other medical institutions in the region in using all doses of AstraZeneca allocated to them.
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/bmjo