A church official called on the faithful to pray that more Covid-19 vaccines will be accessible for Filipinos as soon as possible.

Military Bishop Oscar Florencio, vice chairman of the bishops’ Commission on Health Care, said that more people need to be inoculated to protect the country’s population.

“We pray that the next deliveries of vaccines will be speedy because it’s the lives of our people that are at stake here,” Florencio said.

The prelate made the comment after 600,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from Sinovac — a donation from China — arrived in Manila on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself personally welcomed the arrival of the Chinese vaccines.

Florencio said the arrival of initial vaccines to be administered at selected major hospitals is a “welcome development”.

He also asked the faithful to offer their prayers for those set to be inoculated with the vaccines.

“We must continually pray that nothing adverse will happen to those who will be inoculated,” Florencio said.

“We are happy with this development. At least, this can ease our anxiety because we have the vaccines already, although this is not enough for everyone,” he said.