Vaccines affected by storage problem in Muntinlupa sent to UNICEF for evaluation —DOH

COVID-19 vaccine doses affected by a storage problem in Muntinlupa City were sent to experts at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to determine if they can still be administered, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

“Let us wait for the UNICEF report. DOH is closely coordinating with them so that we may be able to know if the vaccines can still be used,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at an online briefing.

An advocate for equitable vaccine access for vulnerable populations, the UNICEF has been known as the largest buyer of vaccines for children in the world.

On July 15, The Muntinlupa City government temporarily suspended the COVID-19 vaccination at the Festival Mall vaccination site due to an issue with its storage facility.

In a statement, the Muntinlupa City COVID-19 Vaccination Program (MunCoVac) said an initial investigation showed that there was a change in temperature at the facility that could affect the quality of the vaccines.

An initial investigation by the DOH indicated there was a failure in properly storing the vaccines, Vergeire said.

The government had said it is trying to prevent vaccine wastage due to limited supplies. -MDM, GMA News