The United States has donated 3.2 million one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines to the Philippines as part of its worldwide effort to help end COVID-19.
The US Embassy in a statement said the delivery was made on July 16 and 17 for a total of 3,240,850 one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines. This was the first time the Philippines has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a safe, trusted, and easy-to-store shot widely used in the United States.
The shipment was provided directly to the Philippines by the U.S. government, with delivery via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
U.S. 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, IATF 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 Johnson & Johnson vaccines on July 16 and 17.
“This U.S. 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,” said Chargé d’Affaires Law.
The Philippines has previously received more than 7 million vaccine doses through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), a global initiative run by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The United States is the largest monetary contributor to Gavi, having already donated over Php100 billion ($2 billion) to the Alliance.
The United States has worked closely with Philippine stakeholders throughout the pandemic to protect public health and support the local response to COVID-19. To date, total U.S. government COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines amounts to over Php1.38 billion ($27.5 million).
