WV guvs expected to ink pact for Novavax vaccines
Digicast Negros
January 17, 20201
By Carla P. Gomez
The governors of Western Visayas are expected to ink advance purchase agreements for Novavax vaccines this week, former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said today, January 17.
A presentation of the vaccines was made at a Zoom meeting attended by the WV governors today, January 17, to discuss the tripartite agreements on the advance purchase also attended by Secretary Carlito Galvez, the country’s COVID-19 vaccine czar, and Benitez, Negros Occidental’s economic consultant.
The tripartite agreements are being arranged to get the best prices for vaccines and more supply, Galvez said.
The tripartite agreements will be with the vaccine manufacturer, national government, the local government units (LGUs), and the private sector.
The private sector can join the LGUs in the purchase of the vaccines, Galvez said.
He also reiterated that on top of the purchases of the LGUs the national government will provide vaccines for 70 percent of the country’s population.
Earlier, Negros Occidental and Bacolod City signed advance purchase agreements for AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.
Like AstraZeneca, Novavax wants a confidentiality agreement to be signed before the other details can be discussed, Benitez said.
Novavax is a US-based biotechnology company based in Maryland, which vaccine is on phase three of clinical trials. It is expected to approve for human use by the second quarter and deliveries in the Philippines may commence by July or August.
The Novavax vaccine is known as NVX-CoV2373- COVOVAX that can be distributed using the standard and existing vaccine cold chain system in the Philippines, which will not require extra cost for specialized and expensive cold storage facilities. It will prevent a logistical nightmare, the governors were told.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Novavax vaccines were offered at the meeting but no decisions had been made on purchases today.
He does not have the total number of vaccines LGUs in Negros Occidental intend to purchase yet, Lacson said.*
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@senso for A BETTER BACOLOD
Ang isa sa akon mga handom para sa Bacolod.
Ako ang kapitan sg sini nga barko. Indi ini magkadto sa wala ukon sa tuo, kundi derecho sa direksyon sang pagbag-o sang gobyerno para sa kaayuhan sang Bacolodnon.
