PH receives first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shipment

The Philippines received its first shipment of 249,600 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday evening, June 27.

The American-made vaccines arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 via Singapore Airlines Flight SQ918.

Of the initial doses, 150,000 were procured by the Philippine government, and 99,600 were purchased by the private sector, led by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).

The government has procured a total of 20 million doses from Moderna, with 13 million allocated to them and seven million to the private sector.

National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. stated that the arrival is significant as it brings the total vaccine brands in the country to five.

The deployment strategy for Moderna vaccines is being studied, with initial allocations planned for the National Capital Region, prioritizing senior citizens (A2) and persons with comorbidities (A3), and a commitment to allocate a bulk to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), seafarers, and government front-liners.