Sa gitna ng pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, tinanong ni Sen. Francis Tolentino sa Department of Health kung posibleng lumagpas sa 60 milyong doses ng COVID-19 vaccine ang abutan ng expiration at masasayang, na sinang-ayunan ni Health Officer-in-charge Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire. Ayon kay Vergeire, sa ngayon ay nasa mahigit 44 milyon na ang expired doses, 6.74 milyon doses ng bakuna naman ang nakatakdang ma-expire sa katapusan ng Marso at Mayo ngayong taon. Mababa pa rin aniya ang vaccination rate sa mga probinsya kaya naman isinama na ng ahensya ang COVID-19 vaccine sa regular na community vaccination para mas madali itong ma-access ng publiko. #News5 | via Maeanne Los Baños Follow News5 and stay updated with the latest stories! Facebook: facebook.com/News5Everywhere Twitter: twitter.com/News5PH Instagram: @news5everywhere Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@news5everywhere Website: news5.com.ph

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So the number of doses pending that will expire would probably total an additional 6.74 million doses, Madam Secretary.

So do you confirm this? So if this will happen, that will be 44 million plus 6.74 million for a total of 50.74 million wasted vaccines. Is that the correct addition made by the Chair?

Yes, Mr. Senator, I confirm that this would be the amount if we already include those to expire until the end of March of this year.

Yes, para po sa mga nakikinig ngayon. Mag-e-expire natin, magiging total ay 50.74 million. And we will direct the committee, Secretary, to make the appropriate computation as to the amount involved. Magkano po ito?

Kasi yung lumalabas, correct me again, if I'm mistaken here, the amount involved per vaccine, and this has been divulged now by several of the vaccine manufacturers, would vary.

For instance, the price per dose of Moderna is $43. The price per dose of Steinbach, where is the record here?

The price, again, I repeat, and this came from the records of the Commission on Audit as well as the vaccine manufacturers who already divulged, notwithstanding the NDAs, the price per vaccine procured.

Pfizer at $6.75, Steinbach at $14 per dose, and Moderna at $43 per dose. I have here, likewise, the records of AstraZeneca and the others, but the Blue Ribbon Secretariat is directed to make the appropriate computation.

And before we end this hearing, perhaps we can have an aggregate. Ang dami nating staff, kailangan lang dito siguro mag-compute. I-assign yung isa sa Steinbach, i-assign yung isa sa Moderna, and then i-add na lang. Can we do that, Atty. Quimbo?

So, ma'am, do you confirm that this will still balloon into a bigger amount, considering that there are still vaccines in your inventory and that some of the vaccines with short-life extensions will still expire and will not be totally utilized?

For instance, Moderna was extended to up to nine months. AstraZeneca, nine months. Pfizer, adult, 15 months. Steinbach, two years, but others were shortened by one year.

If our vaccination rate would not ramp up, considering the existing vaccine hesitancy, ayaw na magpavakuna ng iba, ilalagu pa po itong 50.74. And do you agree with that assumption, ma'am?

Yes, Mr. Senator, yes, that might happen. But for now, based on the inventories, the succeeding expiry dates of the vaccines would already be in September of 2023.

While we have, in May of 2023, around 13,000 doses to be added to the expiries if this won't be consumed. But the succeeding expiry dates would already be in September of 2023.

Plus, Mr. Senator, we have around 6.9 million doses of vaccines which are currently quarantined, as we define it, since we are still awaiting from the manufacturers and FDA if this can be allowed to have extension of the shelf lives.

6,955,350 doses, Mr. Senator.

So, potentially, Secretary Verrere, potentially, we will have around 57 million, potentially, if this will not be extended.

But even if you extend, do you agree with me, even if we extend the shelf life of all vaccines within your inventory, if they will not be used because of vaccine hesitancy and perhaps the misinterpretation as to the normalcy that we have now, they will add up to more than 60 million in the long run.

Yes, I agree, Mr. Senator. But we are doing all things possible now so that we can intervene and be able to ramp up again the vaccination.

Like, for instance, what, ma'am? Has there been an increase in vaccination rates and percentages in the rural areas or pareho lang?

Unfortunately, sir, until now, the rates are still the same. But we have tried to integrate already the COVID-19 vaccination in our regular community programs whereby the vaccines now are more accessible to our Filipino people.

Anytime and anywhere, they can already access the vaccines through their health facilities.