DOH sees slight delay in arrival of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) — There will be a slight delay in the arrival of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday.

The agency, however, assured the public that it is "exhausting all efforts" to get them before the month ends.

"As per the DOH-Bureau of International Health Cooperation (BIHC), there shall be a slight delay in the arrival of the bivalent vaccines as there are permits that are still needed to be coordinated," the DOH said in a statement.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire previously said the government is hopeful that around 390,000 donated doses of bivalent vaccines will arrive in the Philippines by this week. Another two million doses from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility are also being discussed, the department added.

Meanwhile, it noted that the memorandum on the vaccine rollout has been signed and is now only awaiting release.

The DOH has said it will prioritize vulnerable groups and health workers in the distribution of the bivalent vaccines.