Duque seeks fast, precise inoculation rollout as COVID-19 vaccines may lose potency

As the vaccination rollout is expected to start by February, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday called on all the implementers to be fast and precise in storing and distributing the vaccines.

In his visit to the local government officials in Quezon City, Duque underscored that the COVID-19 vaccines have a shelf life of up to six months only and high sensitivity with temperature.

“Why am I saying this and underscoring this? Because we cannot have a take two or take three when we roll this thing out because of the sensitivity of certain vaccines,” Duque said.

“Kaya ako po ay nananawagan sa atin pong implementers na talagang we have to be very conscious about speed and precision,” he added.

He said the around P85 billion fund for COVID-19 vaccines could be wasted if they lose their potency due to mismanagement in storage and delays in distribution.

“The more important aspects, I would say, at the operational level—'yung shipment storage pagdating ng mga bakuna, saan ilalagay ito,” Duque said.

“Kailangan pa ng national hub, meron tayong warehouses,  pupunta po sa regional hubs and warehouses, at pupunta 'to all the way to the end point, which is the vaccination sites,” he added.

On Wednesday, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said over 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be delivered in the country that will be used to start the vaccination rollout in February.

These vaccine products are from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sinovac.

With the vaccination rollout, officials from the national government’s COVID-19 response team has been visiting local government units to check their respective plans and processes for the inoculation.—AOL, GMA News