DOH wants provincial cold storage facility for possible COVID vaccine

The Department of Health is eyeing to boost the country’s capacity to store COVID-19 vaccines once they are available for efficient mass immunization.

“Ideally, for the cold storage facilities gusto natin na bawat region meron tayong mga hub o storage facilities at kung mamarapatin nga sana per province para kung mag-roll out tayo ating masisiguro na ang bakuna mapapanatili ang effectiveness,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Saturday.

According to Vergeire, the DOH is in talks with several groups to ensure that the country is prepared to properly keep and preserve the effectiveness of any possible vaccine against COVID-19.

“Nakikipag usap na po tayo sa iba’t ibang grupo so that we can expand our storage facilities in preparation for the COVID-19 vaccine,” Vergeire said.

She said the government is targeting to initially vaccinate at least 20% of the population once vaccines become available.

“Tinitingnan rin natin kung paano mapapalawig ito,” she added.

So far, Vergeire said, there are three manufacturers —Gamaleya, Sinovac, and Janssen —that have already applied for the DOH’s regulatory process for a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

“Itong tatlong bakuna na ito ay nag-a-undergo ng evaluation,” she said, noting that Sinovac is at the ethics review level already.

Nevertheless, she said that the Philippines is continuing its discussion with its bilateral partners regarding the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. —LBG, GMA News