2ND SHOT. A healthcare worker shows empty vials of the CoronaVac jabs at Pedro P. Cruz Elementary School in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday (May 5, 2021). The recipients were those who availed of the first dose on April 7. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)
MANILA – All vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) are regularly monitored to prevent spoilage and wastage, National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. reported during the Cabinet meeting Wednesday night.
He said an automatic temperature reader makes sure that the stored Covid-19 vaccines are properly preserved.
Galvez said the NTF coordinates with local government units (LGUs) and third-party providers to make sure proper handling and administration of the vaccines are executed.
"’Yung automatic temperature reader po ang temperature logger. For example, minus 18 po ‘yung Gamaleya kanina, naka minus 30 siya noong tiningnan namin sa loob. Talagang ‘yung temperature niya po, Sir, na talagang maintain na maintain (The automatic temperature reader will log the vaccine preservation. For example, it logs the Gamaleya vaccines at minus 18 degrees. Afterwards, it became minus 30. We have seen that the temperature was maintained)," Galvez told President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Ni-rehearse po natin ‘yan noon pang February (We have rehearsed that since February)," he said.
With the limited supply of vaccines worldwide, Galvez said the country cannot afford to have spoilage.
The Philippines has initially rolled out 15,000 doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccines in Metro Manila cities Taguig, Parañaque, Makati, Muntinlupa, and Manila to assess the government's capacity on handling jabs that require sub-zero temperature.
He also lauded the third-party providers, PharmaServ Express Inc., ORCA Cold Chain Solutions, and Zuellig Pharma, for properly handling the highly-sensitive Gamaleya vaccines.
"Maganda ang mga services nila at saka talagang world-class po ‘yung supply chain po natin. So wala po akong pag-aalala, Mr. President, na magkaroon po tayo ng wastage (We have world-class services in our supply chain so I have no worries that we might have a wastage, Mr. President)," Galvez said.
Further, Galvez assured that the country’s “world-class” cold storage facilities are well prepared for the influx of different Covid-19 vaccines and the third-party providers have outstanding records. (PNA)
