China wants Philippines ready to receive COVID-19 vaccines, says envoy

China has imposed no condition for prioritizing the Philippines in its distribution of COVID-19 vaccines once they are available, Ambassador to Beijing Chito Sta. Romana said on Thursday.

Romana, however, said that Chinese pharmaceutical firms involved in developing the vaccine asked that the Philippines be ready with adequate cold chain storage facilities.

“It’s not a condition. It’s just a reminder that if you get the vaccine and you don’t have cold chain storage, then it’s useless,” Sta. Romana said.

He said an effective cold chain was necessary because vaccines could lose their potency if exposed to temperatures that are either too high or too low.

“I think the health experts are very much aware of this, I just don’t know the condition of cold storage in the Philippines that’s why I want to reiterate this necessary condition for effective deployment and effective distribution of the vaccine," Sta. Romana said.

Sta. Romana said it was the Philippines that insisted that the vaccines pass “local requirements".

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado assured the public that the government will allocate funds for cold storage facilities for the vaccines.

“Surely, as the sun rises in the east, there will be funds for that because the President will never allow that we will run short of the requirements to make sure that we have the storage facilities for all of these vaccines,” he said.

Sta. Romana said China might begin the mass production of the vaccines as early as November or December.

“And it will depend on our capability to receive the vaccines in terms of our facilities, in terms of distribution. So, the prospects are bright in terms of a breakthrough in vaccines,” he said.

“As far as I know, in China there’s a possibility for one or two vaccines that will be approved here soon.”

The COVID-19 vaccine candidate from China's Sinovac firm has already asked the permission of the Philippine government to hold clinical trials after it passed preliminary scrutiny by a vaccine expert panel. -NB, GMA News