COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines will not be affected despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a Department of Health (DOH) official said on Saturday.

During the ''Laging Handa'' public briefing, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje assures that the Philippines has enough supply of COVID-19 vaccine and the government does not have plan to purchase the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

"As of now, as far as I know there is no plan to purchase Sputnik V vaccine. We have enough for now. Now if other vaccines will be affected, we are ordering the MRNA (vaccines)...," she said.

Cabotaje said there might be a problem in the supply for the COVID-19 vaccines for the children depending on the manufacturer.

"There might be a small problem on the supply of the vaccines for children depending to the manufacturer. We will see how it’s going to affect the general... the whole population," she said.

"But as of now, we do not see any problem in terms of the other vaccines except that maybe the price will increase in terms of the transport. That will be the collateral damage. But I’m sure we will be able to manage as long as our contract agreements are already fixed," she added.

Cabotaje said that despite delays on the delivery ofpediatric vaccines, the government's acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines remain "on track."

"Yes. That is on track except the slight delay on the deliver of the vaccines for five to eleven (years old) with a little problem but it was already addressed in terms of the payments. So instead of the arrival of 1.6 million on February 23 it will set to arrive at the first week of March," he said. Robina Asido/DMS