Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government may sign next week a deal with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca for 20 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine.
“May maganda po tayong balita dahil baka po may matapos po tayo na mga kontrata this December (We have good news because we might be able to finalize contracts this December),” Galvez told President Rodrigo Duterte in a televised meeting of members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Monday night.
Galvez, the chief implementer of the National Task Force against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), said the deal with AstraZeneca may be signed either on December 28 or 29.
He said that 10 million doses will be given to local government units while the other 10 million will go to the private sector.
The government is also looking at procuring 30 million Covid-19 vaccines from Novovax, an American company.
“Ibaba po nila yung presyo katulad po ng ginawa ng AstraZeneca (They will lower the price just like what AstraZeneca did),” Galvez told the President.
“Nag-assure po siya na magbibigay po siya ng 30 million doses para sa atin (They gave assurances that they will give us 30 million doses),” he added.
Galvez earlier said the government is also considering sealing negotiations with Chinese vaccine manufacturer Sinovac Biotech for 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this month.