“Nakausap namin kahapon ang COVAX facility. May possibility po na February po
na magdala po ang COVAX dito, WHO at saka UNICEF ng Pfizer (We spoke to the
COVAX facility yesterday. There is a possibility in February, that COVAX
alongside the World Health Organization and UNICEF might bring here the
vaccines from Pfizer),” Galvez told President Rodrigo Durterte during his
regular public address.
“Ang Sinovac po ay darating din po ng February 20. (Some) 50,000 initially and
then dadagdagan po sila ng 950,000 sa susunod na buwan at 2 million sa susunod
na mga buwan (Sinovac will also arrive on Feb. 20, around 50,000 initially and
then around 950,000 will be added next month and 2 million in the coming
months),” he added.
Logistics preps
Meanwhile, Galvez said preparations of the logistical requirement for vaccine
deployment are underway.
It is expected to be ready by January 30, he added, to make sure the country
is prepared for the arrival of the first batch of vaccines.
Galvez said the government will conduct a series of inspections next week, to
ensure the country’s preparedness for vaccine deployment.
It will also check the storage capacities of the country’s cold chain
facilities for vaccines.
Galvez said these facilities are located at the Research Institute for
Tropical Medicine (RITM), University of the Philippines (UP), and San Lazaro
Hospital.
They will also check the cold chain facilities privately-owned by
pharmaceutical companies Zuellig and Unilab.
The government’s preparations for vaccine deployment include training of
vaccinators, mobilization of security forces, and readying
partner-stakeholders, he added.
Vaccine storage, distribution
Galvez said Covid-19 jabs that require -70°C and -20°C temperatures, such as
Pfizer and Moderna, will be stored in the country’s major storage hubs in
Metro Manila, Davao, and Cebu.
While vaccines requiring 2°C–8°C such as Sinovac, Johnson&Johnson,
AstraZeneca, and Novavax vaccines can be deployed in the far-flung
communities.
“Ang strategy po na ‘yan, hindi po natin inimbento. ‘Yan po ay strategy na
ginawa ng mga naunang nag-rollout, katulad ng U.S., U.K., at Indonesia (We did
not invent that strategy because it has been done by countries that have
already rolled out their vaccination campaigns such as Indonesia, United
States, and the United Kingdom),” Galvez said.
As the government pushed through negotiations with six vaccine developers,
Galvez said about 137 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been secured.
“Puwede pong umakyat ‘yan na 172 — sa 172. Hindi pa po kasama diyan ang 42
million doses para po sa COVAX kasi bibigyan po tayo ng COVAX ng (It could
increase up to 172 doses. This is apart from 42 million doses under COVAX
facility negotiations which could vaccinate about) 20 percent country’s
population,” he added.
Under the COVAX facility, Galvez said the government can guarantee access to a
portfolio of vaccines and doses for at least 22 million Filipinos.
He said the government is negotiating with pharmaceutical companies such as
Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novavax and J&J, to deliver vaccines as early as the
first quarter of the year so that the country could initially rollout the
vaccination program by the first quarter.
Vaccine deployment
“So ang gagawin lang po natin is gagawa po tayo ng magandang Gantt chart at
saka ‘yung synchronization matrix. I-synchronize lang po natin na pagdating
natin kaagad, i-deploy natin po kaagad (We will make a Gantt chart and a
synchronization matrix to synchronize it. Once they arrive, they will
immediately be deployed),” Galvez said.
Galvez also urged local government units (LGUs) to start preparing for the
arrival of the Covid-19 vaccines by next month.
He said LGUs serve as “grassroots implementer” for the nationwide vaccination
program.
“The implementation of the national vaccine program is not the sole
responsibility of the government. This is the reason why the
whole-of-government, whole-of-nation approach shall be adopted maximizing
manpower, expertise, processes to ensure coordinated and greater
implementation of the Covid-19 immunization program,” Galvez said.
He said the government will assist LGUs which cannot afford to procure
vaccines for their constituents.
“‘Yung mga probinsya at mayors na hindi makakabili, kami po ang magbibigay ng
vaccine. At saka po ‘yung mga kulang ng iba, kami po ang magpupuno (Those
provinces and towns which cannot procure their vaccines, we will provide the
vaccines. And when others lack supply, we will fill that gap),” he said.
The government will also shoulder other requirements including syringes,
cotton, cold chain storage, and sets of personal protective equipment (PPE),
he said.
Galvez said the government has earmarked a total of PHP82.5 billion for the
procurement of Covid-19 vaccines and other logistic requirements. (PNA)
This article first appeared on Politiko.
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