Gov’t to implement strict, ‘on time delivery’ of Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — The government will implement an “on time” delivery scheme for COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna in order to preserve their required temperature, Dr. Ted Herbosa, special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said Saturday.

“Ang problem natin ngayon, because most of the vaccines now are Pfizer and Moderna, ay gagawa tayo ng system na tinatawag na just in time delivery, kasi matindi ang requirements for cold chain nitong mga current vaccines. Hindi siya kagaya ng dati na cold chain lang. Ngayon talagang ultra low temperature freezers,” he said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

(Most of the vaccines now are Pfizer and Moderna, we will create a system where we will deliver the vaccines just in time, since the requirements for cold chain of these vaccines are strict. They need ultra low temperature freezers.)

“So the only solution we are finding is ‘yung tinatawag na on-time delivery na kapag naibigay sa inyong LGU ay mavaccinate niyo kaagad sa mga taong mangangailangan,” he explained.

(So the only solution we found is an on-time delivery so that when the vaccines are delivered to LGUs, the vaccines can immediately be administered.)

Herbosa added that the government will increase the number of vaccinators in LGUs with the scheduled vaccination of all minors aged 12 to 17 and the administration of booster and third doses to priority groups.

“May mga LGU na hindi makapagvaccinate araw-araw kasi nga giangawa din ng vaccination site ang ibang vaccination program natin sa expanded program on immunization. So dadagdagan natin sila ng volunteers from nursing students, dental students, medical students para makatulong sa pagdami ng mga babakunahan,” he noted.

Herbosa also said that the Commission on Higher Education has assigned some state universities and colleges as additional vaccination sites especially for the youth.

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