France donates over 1.6 million AstraZeneca vaccines to PH

France donated 1,632,900 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines, the first batch of a larger donation.

This initial shipment, which arrived on December 1, 2021, is part of France's commitment to donate a total of 5,850,000 doses of various vaccine brands, including Moderna and Pfizer.

French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz described the donation as a "strong gesture of friendship."

The vaccines arrived on the same day as the conclusion of the Philippines' three-day National Vaccination Days.

As of November 29, approximately 83 million doses had been administered nationwide, with over 5 million individuals vaccinated during the drive.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. thanked France for their donation, noting that the first batch would help over 800,000 individuals.

He also mentioned that total vaccine donations through COVAX, WHO, Gavi, and the vaccine alliance would reach 39 million doses.