Deyalsingh: Commercial agreements for covid19 vaccines closer

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Monday said Government is working towards getting a commercial sales agreement with Pfizer to acquire doses of its covid19 vaccines for the population.

He made the disclosure at his ministry's virtual health news conference.

Reiterating that Government had signed a non-disclosure agreement with Chinese vaccine manufacturer Sinopharm last August, Deyalsingh said people criticising the Government over this will not say that Government has signed a similar agreement with Pfizer.

He also reiterated that at this time, no vaccine manufacturer is speaking to any private-sector entity about acquiring covid19 vaccines.

Deyalsingh said on April 29, Government received a heads of terms of agreement from Pfizer, and this will be a precursor towards the establishment of a commercial sales agreement, detailing quantity and price of doses of its vaccine for TT.

He explained the same process is happening with respect to Sinopharm.

But he warned, ""There are those who wish to derail the vaccine programme."

He cautioned people against saying anything in public that could derail efforts to acquire vaccines from Sinopharm and Pfizer.

Recalling that through diplomatic efforts, the Prime Minister was able to secure 40,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, from India and China respectively, Deyalsingh said Government is getting closer daily towards commercial sales agreements with Sinopharm and Pfizer to acquire vaccines from both.