QC Mayor Belmonte apologizes for Pfizer vaccination delay

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday apologized to residents who lined up for vaccination at the St. Lukes Medical Center after a delay in the arrival and administration of the Pfizer vaccine.

According to Saleema Refran’s report on “24 Oras,” those scheduled at 8 a.m. received their doses past 12 noon.

“An internal problem occurred last night between the DOH and its third party partner, which they had promised would be resolved also last night,” Belmonte said.

“However, the problem was only resolved this morning. This led to the late delivery of the vaccines,” she added.

The local government said the delay was because the vaccines delivered by the Department of Health were not in their original containers.

“Hinintay muna namin ‘yung sulat galing sa Department of Health explaining what happened and also for them.. to basically guarantee the local government of Quezon City that these vaccines have been kept in the right temperature… hindi po nagalaw… na puwede pa rin gamitin,” Joseph Juico, QC Vax to Normal co-chairman, said.

(We waited for a letter from the DOH explaining what happened and also for them… to basically guarantee the local government of Quezon City that these vaccines have been kept in the right temperature… it was not tampered with and they could still be used.)

This was because the guidelines released by the World Health Organization on the use of the Pfizer vaccine are strict.

Upon arrival at the vaccination sites, authorities had to wait three hours before the vaccines could be raised to the right temperature.

“The problem was compounded by the need to thaw the vaccines for several hours before these can be made administered,” Belmonte said.

Though the local government issued a text message about the delay, the recipients of the vaccine were already at the site.

“To avoid long waits and discomfort, vaccinees are advised to come only 15 minutes before their scheduled inoculation,” Belmonte said.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News