PH non-compliance to COVAX may ‘jeopardize’ allocated vaccines – WHO official

The Philippines may risk losing millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the global COVAX facility if it fails to follow prioritization requirements, including the strict allocation of the scarce vaccines to medical frontliners and vulnerable sectors, a World Health Organization official warned.

AstraZeneca shipment on the way to PH, vaccines recommended to prioritize older health workers – Galvez

The plane carrying the initial shipment of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines supplied by the COVAX facility is en route to the Philippines, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. While there are no set protocols yet for the rollout prioritization of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Galvez said some doctors recommended it be given to senior healthcare workers. He said the move will “offset” the limitations of China’s Sinovac vaccine, the first product to arrive in the country but was initially not recommended for those over 59 years old.

Duterte may reconsider face-to-face classes after rollout of 2 million COVID-19 vaccines: ofc'l

President Rodrigo Duterte may reconsider authorizing a pilot test of face-to-face classes once the country has rolled out 2 million COVID-19 vaccines, a Malacañang official said on Thursday. Duterte in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday said he wanted a "more rigorous, more widespread" vaccination before allowing limited in-person classes, and a shift to the loosest lockdown level, the modified general community quarantine, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

Duterte wants 2M vaccine dose rollout before reconsidering MGCQ proposal

President Rodrigo Duterte initially wants two million COVID-19 vaccines rolled out before he reconsiders the proposal to place the entire country under the lowest restriction level. With the launch of COVID-19 inoculations and the expected arrival of more anti-coronavirus shots, Nograles sees the MGCQ shift happening by the next quarter.

WHO: PH to be among biggest recipients of COVAX vaccines, 4.5M AstraZeneca doses coming

The World Health Organization on Thursday said the Philippines will receive around 4.5 million of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines until May this year from the COVAX Facility, with the country set to become one of the largest recipients of jabs through the global vaccine-sharing platform. WHO Country Representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe said that for the AstraZeneca vaccine alone, the COVAX Facility, of which WHO is a member, will be sending 4.58 million doses to the Philippines from March to May. 

Vaccinate more people to 'really start opening economy:' ING Bank economist

The impact of the vaccination of most of the population will eventually make its way to the real economy but it will be “slow going” as the Philippines is among the last countries in Asia to start its inoculation drive, ING Bank head of research and chief economist Rob Carnell told ANC.

Philippines to get 487,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots on Thursday
The Philippines this week will get its second delivery of COVID-19 shots through the vaccine-sharing COVAX Facility. The country will receive 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 4, "as part of the first round of allocated doses from the COVAX facility," said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. 

PH economy seen growing 9.6% this year despite delayed vaccination program

The Philippine economic recovery post-COVID is expected to start off with a near 10 percent rebound in GDP growth this year, but there are few roadblocks to growth.  According to credit ratings agency S&P Global Ratings, there are still "relatively broad COVID-19 epidemic in the Philippines which itself can, and will also have and continue to, have a cooling impact on economic activity."