Palace sees logistical challenge for COVID-19 vaccine distribution

Malacañang said Tuesday it sees a logistical challenge for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine doses to Filipinos once they become available.

According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the government needs to establish a cold chain as vaccines should be stored at sub-zero temperatures.

“Sanay na sanay na tayo sa actual distribution at pagtuturok. Ang pinaghahandaan po natin talaga is iyong logistics, pag-import kasi specialized po ang transportation nito, negative 90 [degrees] at saka iyong storage pagdating po dito sa Pilipinas,” Roque said at a news conference.

He said only the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City has the facility for vaccine storage.

“Eh kung tayo’y mag-aangkat nang milyun-milyon, kinakailangan gumagawa pa nang mas malalakihang mga cold storage facility at hindi ordinaryong cold storage kasi negative 90 nga,” Roque said in a separate interview.

“So talagang matindi rin iyong paghamon ‘pag lumabas na ang bakuna at ngayon pa lang ang talagang mensahe ni Presidente maghanda na tayo.”

The government eyes to procure 40 million doses of vaccines to be distributed to at least 20 million Filipinos.

State-owned banks and the proposed 2021 national budget will help fund the purchase of the vaccines, according to Malacañang.

Priority will be given to poor Filipinos and frontliners such as policemen and soldiers. —LDF, GMA News