Philippines gets over 3M doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from UK

The Philippines received on Thursday a total of 3,191,040 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United Kingdom (UK) through the COVAX facility.

The fresh batch of COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 past 4 p.m.

Assistant Secretary Wilben Mayor, head of the National Task Force Against COVID-19's strategic communications on current operations, thanked the British government for the donation. 

“With this, we have about 138 million doses of vaccines that arrived in the country,” he said.

Mayor said additional 288,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the UK government would arrive on Friday.

He also encouraged the public to get vaccinated.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday declared November 29, 30, and December 1 as Bayanihan, Bakunahan National COVID-19 Vaccination Days.

The government is seeking to vaccinate 15 million people during the three-day period.

The Philippines started its vaccination program on March 1. — VBL, GMA News