Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 19) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday granted the request of some government officials to use all 525,600 AstraZeneca doses now in the country as first dose instead of storing half of the supply for the booster shot, his spokesperson said, in a bid to provide wider protection to health care workers in areas with high COVID-19 transmission.
“Naaprubahan na ng Presidente ang paggamit ng lahat ng 525,000 AstraZeneca na nakuha nating donasyon galing sa COVAX facility para gamitin po bilang first dose para sa ating mga frontline workers,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media briefing.
[Translation: The President has approved the use all 525,000 AstraZeneca vaccines donated through COVAX to be used as first dose for frontline workers.]
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made this proposal on Monday, saying the strategy will help make sure no supply will go to waste. He explained the interval between the first and second AstraZeneca shots is three months — the same time the vaccines will expire.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez backed this recommendation, saying he was asked by the World Health Organization to expedite the rollout of the British-Swedish-made vaccines to prevent wastage.
Both officials allayed concerns the move may result in missing the timely administration of booster shots. Galvez said the country expects to receive additional 979,000 AstraZeneca doses through the COVAX global initiative this month or by the first week of April.
