By Deighton Acuin

PHOTO: ABC News

Half of 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by United States pharmaceutical firm Pfizer-BioNTech will be allotted for the younger population, National Task Force against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

The Philippines earlier signed a supply agreement to secure 40 million Pfizer doses.

Galvez added once the experts give a go-signal for the inoculation of younger individuals, the guidelines will be implemented to vaccinate the said age bracket.

“Our original plan is to have only 15 to 25 million, but considering that we are only opening up the vaccination for children like in Europe and also in the United States and Israel, we are anticipating that we have to program or we have to prepare for that,” Galvez said in an interview over Philippine News Agency (PNA).

“Once we have their approval for most vaccines to be used on children and once the DOH makes the guidelines, we will do so,” he added.

Following the signing of the deal, Galvez said the government is confident that the target of 184 million vaccine doses administered by this year will be reached.

The country has so far received 14,205,870 doses. By the numbers, 9,000,000 doses from China-based Sinovac Biotech, 2,556,000 doses from British firm AstraZeneca, 2,469,870 doses from Pfizer, and 180,000 doses from Russia’s Gamaleya Institute.

As of Tuesday, June 21, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,364,239 total COVID-19 cases, 1,284,643 recoveries, and 23,749 deaths.

Meanwhile, 8,222,759 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country of which 6,102,625 individuals have received the first dose while 2,120,134 individuals have completed two doses.