PH negotiating 2 million bivalent jabs from COVAX: Herbosa

MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — The Philippines on Wednesday started administering bivalent COVID-19 shots to priority groups, who President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged to get the vaccine.

Marcos also directed local officials to make sure that the elderly and the vulnerable sector get their free bivalent shots, which target the omicron variant and the original form of the virus.

"Government-assisted vaccines including the bivalent doses are free for every Filipino. Under the leadership of our newly appointed DOH Secretary [Teodoro Herbosa], I expect the DOH to truly fortify their efforts to protect the Filipino public against all health risks," Marcos said in his speech.

"I thus appeal to everyone especially those who have yet to receive their primary series of vaccinations to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This is not for your own good alone but also for the protection of your families and the general public," he added.

Herbosa received a dose of the bivalent vaccine during the program but had to be seated during the press conference after his blood pressure went up.

He said he was due to receive the dose as he is already 65 years old.

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The elderly and health workers will be prioritized in the rollout, the Department of Health earlier said.

On March 31 , the DOH issued a department memorandum on the management and administration of the donated bivalent vaccines.

The guidelines state that first to be inoculated are health-care workers and senior citizens. The memorandum also states that an individual may be vaccinated with the bivalent vaccines after at least 4 to 6 months after their last booster vaccination.

DOH said around 500 health workers would receive the bivalent COVID-19 jabs in the Philippine Heart Center on Wednesday. Only those who have received their second booster are eligible to receive it, the agency added.

The specialty hospital so far received 2,900 doses of the bivalent vaccine.

Other DOH hospitals are also simultaneously distributing bivalent vaccines, said Herbosa.

Herbosa said 108,000 doses of the donated bivalent jabs were allocated to Metro Manila, while the rest were distributed to various parts of the country.

"...The DOH urges everyone, starting with our frontliners - health workers and the most vulnerable - our senior citizens, to strengthen their immunity against COVID-19 by getting these bivalent boosters by coordinating with our nearest hospitals and vaccination centers," he said in a statement.

PH NEGOTIATING FOR MORE BIVALENT JABS

In an interview with reporters, Herbosa said the country was still in talks for 2 million bivalent COVID-19 shots from UN-backed scheme COVAX Facility.

The Philippines got its first 390,000 bivalent jabs from the Lithuanian government through a donation last June.

"Mayroon akong naririnig na 2 million in negotiation. Two million doses. I cannot tell you the date but we are waiting for that, COVAX will help us get that 2 million," he said.

• PH gets first COVID bivalent vaccine donated by Lithuania

— With a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

Video from PTV​