The Department of Health officially started the pilot of its weeklong COVID-19 vaccination in four drugstores from Metro Manila on Thursday, January 20.

The DOH stated that Sinovac and AstraZeneca are the available vaccines in the selected clinics and drugstores. Three more drugstores and clinics will be added to the pilot on Friday.

Myrna Cabotaje, DOH’s Undersecretary, also states that storage of both Sinovac and AstraZeneca can be done through regular refrigerators. Evaluation after the weeklong pilot will then determine the expansion all over Metro Manila. Other regions may then launch by February, second or third week.

“After the phase 1 or the phase 2, tingnan natin kung puwede nang bigyan ng ibang bakuna kasi iyong Pfizer saka Moderna kaunting sensitive sa handling,” Cabotaje added.

(After phase 1 or phase 2, we will see if they can be given other vaccines because Pfizer and Moderna’s handling is sensitive.)

The government piloted the move of having pharmacies and clinics administer vaccines following the infection of health workers.

See the full brief from Myrna Cabotaje below:

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