U.S. sends 3.2M J&J vaccines
This one-shot, easy to store vaccine will protect millions of lives across the country
The United States has delivered a total of 3,240,850 one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines to the Philippines as part of its worldwide effort to help end Covid-19.
It marked the first time the Philippines has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a safe, trusted, and easy to store shot widely used in the US.
The shipment was provided directly to the Philippines by the US government, with delivery via the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility, a global initiative to support equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
US Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires John Law and Acting USAID Mission Director Sean Callahan joined Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr., Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III, Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority Karl Chua, and other stakeholders at Ninoy Aquino International Airport to welcome the arrival of the vaccines on 16 to 17 July.
“This US donation of vaccines from our domestic supply to the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in Asia, demonstrates our close and abiding relationship, and how important this partnership is to us. This one-shot, easy to store vaccine will protect millions of lives across the country,” Law said.
The Philippines has previously received more than 7 million vaccine doses through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a global initiative run by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to support equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
The US is the largest monetary contributor to Gavi, having already donated over P100 billion ($2 billion) to the Alliance.
The US has worked closely with Philippine stakeholders throughout the pandemic to protect public health and support the local response to Covid-19. To date, total US government Covid-19 assistance to the Philippines amounts to over P1.38 billion ($27.5 million).