Philippines officials recommend using all AstraZeneca doses as first shots

Philippines' pandemic response officials, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., recommended using all 525,600 vials of the AstraZeneca vaccine as first doses for health workers.

They cited the need to protect more healthcare workers from coronavirus risks.

However, President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concerns about a potential delay in the second shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines needed as second doses for frontline workers who received the initial dose.