MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Thursday received more doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine as part of its procured supply from the US manufacturer.
News5 reported that the Singapore Airlines flight SQ-910 carrying the 250,800 doses landed at the NAIA Terminal 3 this afternoon.
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Of the newly arrived doses, some 194,400 would go to government while 56,400 would go to private firms.
The shipment is the second batch of Moderna's vaccine delivered to the Philippines. An initial 249,600 reached the country on June 27.
It is part of the 20 million doses in total that government purchased from the drugmaker.
Moderna is taken in two doses and 28 days apart. It has a 94% efficacy and is a mRNA vaccine.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said mRNA jabs teach the cells to make protein that triggers an immune response to a person's body.
Its arrival in the Philippines came as vaccinations in cities slowly resume after a halt last week due to the lack of supply.
By July 14, the government reported that 5.78% of Filipinos have completed their shots, or 4,047,792. Officials are targeting to inoculate up to 70 million this year to reach herd immunity.
Some 14.32%, meanwhile, have received their first dose, or 10,026,722. In total, some 14,074,514 doses have since been administered since inoculation efforts began in March.