QUEZON CITY, (PIA) –President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked the Republic of Lithuania for its donation of bivalent Covid-19 vaccines to the Philippines as he led the launch of the said Covid-19 vaccines at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City on Wednesday, June 21.

Earlier this month, the Philippines received about 390,000 bivalent vaccine doses from Lithuania.

Bivalent vaccines are said to provide protection against the original Covid-19 strain and the Omicron subvariants.

“The Philippines conveys its gratitude to the government of the Republic of Lithuania for the generosity and their donation of the country’s first batch of bivalent vaccines,” he said.

“I am hopeful that we will further deepen our cooperation in such areas as well as sustain this bond of friendship that we have strengthened now," he added.

“Rest assured that this government under this administration treasures that special relationship and your act of generosity today will certainly not go unnoticed or ever be forgotten,” he further aid.

Marcos also thanked the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) for its continuing assistance to the Philippines.

While the WHO proclaimed the end of Covid-19 as a public health emergency, President Marcos said his administration would not let its guard down, considering that the disease continues to exist.

“I thus appeal to everyone, especially those who have yet to receive their primary series of vaccinations to get vaccinated against Covid-19. This is not for your own good alone but also for the protection of your families and the general public,” he said.

Based on the guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH), healthcare workers and senior citizens who received their second booster shots at least four to six months ago are eligible for the first phase of the bivalent vaccine rollout. (pia-ncr)