Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has touted a coronavirus vaccine as the ultimate solution to the pandemic. He has hoped that, with some vaccine candidates at an advanced stage of development, Filipinos can go back to their normal lives “by December.”
But how soon can Filipinos realistically expect a safe COVID-19 vaccine to be ready for distribution in the country?
Dr Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research Development, talks to Rappler reporter Pia Ranada on when in 2021 he expects a vaccine to be approved by the government for distribution.
Catch this Rappler Talk episode at 8:30 pm on Friday, September 18.
Montoya also talks about what challenges to expect in making such a vaccine accessible to high-risk Filipinos and the poor.
Montoya, involved in discussions with Russians on their vaccine, Sputnik V, says Filipino experts are now assessing whether or not to conduct phase 3 trials for the vaccine in the Philippines. – Rappler.com
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