Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 4) — Local government units in Metro Manila which were not included in the pilot rollout of the Sputnik V vaccines can expect enough supply in the future, according to Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., who noted the current limitations due to the small initial shipment.
Galvez made that statement in a media briefing Tuesday, after being told Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro has questioned the national government’s basis for deciding which areas should be part of the first recipients.
Marikina isn’t on the list of five cities in the National Capital Region — which include Manila, Makati, Taguig, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa — where the initial batch of 15,000 Sputnik V doses have been deployed for a logistical trial run. In selecting the five areas, Galvez said they looked at the LGUs’ capacity to roll out the vaccines.
But with the expected arrival within the month of 480,000 more Sputnik V doses, Galvez said the other localities can expect a bigger share.
“Sa ngayon po kasi, very limited lang po ‘yung pilot test natin na 15,000. But do not worry, kino-compensate naman natin ‘yung number ng mga vaccine natin sa lahat ng mga dinadalhan natin ng vaccine,” he said.
[Translation: Right now, we have a very limited supply of 15,000 doses for the pilot test. But do not worry, we compensate for whatever shortage in supply in areas we deploy the vaccines to.]
He also explained that LGUs which are not yet able to get their hands on the Russian-made vaccines are instead given more of China’s Sinovac.
The government is aiming to achieve herd immunity in Metro Manila and nearby provinces by November. It targets to inoculate some 120,000 residents daily in the NCR alone, as it expects a stable vaccine supply starting June.
