Philippines receives 390k bivalent COVID-19 vaccines from Lithuania

The Philippines on Saturday night received more than 390,000 doses of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines donated by Lithuania. 

Department of Health Assistant Secretary Leonita Gorgolon, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania, Julia Netta Vildzius Peña, and the Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union to the Philippines, Dr. Ana-Isabel Sanchez-Ruiz, were among those present at the ceremonial reception held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. 

Bivalent vaccines offer protection against the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 as well as Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, according to the DOH. 

The department began negotiating for supplies of bivalent vaccines in August 2022. Lithuania made an offer to donate the vaccines in January 2023. 

“It is with great pleasure that we have received such generous donations from the Lithuanian Government and our sincerest gratitude to our partner agencies for being one with the DOH in seeing that within our reach is a bountiful future, one that is most achievable starting with ensuring that we have sufficient protection against the COVID-19 virus,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said. 

Healthcare workers and senior citizens will be given priority to receive the bivalent vaccines, based on DOH guidelines.

An individual may be vaccinated with the bivalent vaccines at least four to six months after the second booster vaccination, the DOH said.

“To every Juan and Juana, we urge everyone to get the opportunity to gain longer and stronger protection by getting vaccinated against COVID-19,” Vergeire said.