New Omicron-specific vaccines will become available in the Philippines next year, authorities said.
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) has said that “in terms of the new vaccines that are being developed, the manufacturer declared that around October, they could release this kind of vaccine.”
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DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, said that a budget has been reserved to purchase new vaccines. The United Kingdom has become the first country to approve an Omicron-specific vaccine developed by Moderna.
Vergeire said that the Janssen Pharmaceuticals has applied for commercial distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the country and once a vaccine has a CPR (certificate of product registration) it can be made available commercially.
The application is now under evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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The CPR may be granted to Janssen early next year. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante sees a faster procurement of the new Omicron-specific bivalent vaccine.
Earlier President Marcos announced that they are inclined to retain the state of public health emergency until the end of the year.
