The Philippines has signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India for the supply of 30 million doses of the Covovax coronavirus vaccine.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez signed the agreement representing the government. The vaccine is expected to be available by the third quarter of 2021.

SII has partnered with Novavax, a US based company which is currently developing its own COVID-19 vaccine.

Covovax is currently in third stage clinical trials and is expected to be approved by regulators.

“The vaccine will be used to vaccinate 15 million vulnerable and poor Filipinos. The vaccine is stable at 2°C to 8°C, the standard temperature that is within the existing cold chain system in the Philippines, thus allowing its distribution to the remotest barangays,” said Dr. Luningning Villa, medical director of Faberco Life Sciences Inc., SII’s Philippine partner.

The Philippines has also secured 2.6 million doses of British vaccine AstraZeneca through private groups.

The government is also talking with Pfizer, Moderna, China’s Sinovac and Sinopharm and Gamaleya Institute of Russia.  (TDT)