The Philippines received its first official supply of China-made COVID-19 vaccines to kick-start the country's vaccination campaign Monday, the Inquirer reported.
A China military transport plane carrying 600,000 doses of vaccine donated by the Beijing-based drug manufacturer Sinovac Biotech Ltd. landed at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City Sunday. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and cabinet officials thanked China for the vaccine.
Duterte inspected the CoronaVac vials, the first-ever to arrive in the country.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel. That is light at the end of the tunnel," Rappler quoted presidential representative Harry Roque as saying in an interview with government-run network PTV.
"That plane is carrying hope that we can finally return to our lives and light for our very dark journey," Roque said, adding that an initial 525,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca were also scheduled to arrive Monday.
China officials in the Philippines touted the efficacy and safety of the Sinovac vaccine. "Sinovac vaccines have been inoculated in many countries and their safety and efficacy have been well tested," China ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said.
The military will get 100,000 doses of the CoronaVac and the rest will be given to select health personnel. The country has 574,247 cases of the virus as of Saturday and has lagged behind Southeast Asian neighbors in securing the vaccines.
"COVID-19 vaccines should be treated as a global public good and made available to all, rich and poor alike," Duterte said in remarks quoted by The Associated Press who added "no one is safe until everyone is safe."
