WHO tells Philippines to prepare for Covid-19 vaccine

A health worker wearing a protective suit is disinfected inside a portable tent outside the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center during an enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines, April 27, 2020. - AP

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): While a vaccine against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is still under development, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised the Philippine government on Monday (April 27) to already set up mechanisms that would help expedite the processing, accreditation and deployment of the vaccine in the country.

WHO acting country representative Socorro Escalante said that because it would take between a year and a half for the vaccine for Covid-19 to be available in the market, the Philippines should in the meantime formulate its strategy on how its rollout can be fast-tracked.