Philippines widens search for COVID vaccine with Australia talks

The Philippines will meet with Australian manufacturers for a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Queensland as the Southeast Asian nation expands its search for supplies to combat the region’s biggest outbreak.

The nation did not reach a commitment with Pfizer Inc. during a meeting last Friday as a law restricts “pre-ordering without the products yet,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual briefing. The Philippines also won’t be able to join Pfizer’s clinical trials, which are expected to finish by end-October.

Philippine infections rose 2,839 to 237,365 cases while COVID deaths increased 85 to 3,875, according to data released on Sunday by Department of Health.