DOH: PH COVID-19 monovalent, bivalent vaccine stocks almost depleted

The country’s supply of COVID-19 monovalent and bivalent vaccines is almost exhausted, the Department of Health said Tuesday, stressing that the DOH would no longer procure additional doses to cater to those who have not yet completed their primary vaccine series or were not vaccinated at all.

In an ambush interview, Health Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said that “it’s too late” for those who did not avail of the free vaccines provided by the government as only one region, Calabarzon, had stocks of the monovalent jabs.

“200,000, kung maaalala ko, ang available at ‘yan ay three weeks ago. Baka naubos na rin ‘yan,” he told reporters.

(As far as I remember, 200,000 doses were available three weeks ago. Maybe that is gone as well.)

As for bivalent vaccines, Tayag said that 92.37% or 359,318 out of the 388,980 doses donated by Lithuania had been administered to priority groups, as of September 1.

“Doon sa bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, kung naghahabol kayo, wala na po. Ni-report natin kanina na halos ubos na po,” he added.

(If you are looking for bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, we reported earlier that it’s almost gone.)

The health official said that the DOH is checking its inventory to know how many monovalent vaccine doses were left and how many had expired.

Asked when the DOH would resume administering monovalent vaccines, Tayag said, “Wala na kaming ibibigay. Sa ngayon, ang alam ko, wala nang ibibigay.”

(We will no longer administer the vaccine. Presently, as far as I know, there's nothing left to give.)

He said that the DOH would continue administering the bivalent vaccines, which were only available to healthcare workers (A1), senior citizens (A2), and adults with comorbidities (A3).

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. lifted the State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to COVID-19 last July through Proclamation No. 297. — DVM, GMA Integrated News