DOH: 100 vials of COVID-19 vaccines wasted due to Typhoon Odette

FILE PHOTO: Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are pictured on February 3, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

MANILA, Philippines — Some 100 vials of COVID-19 vaccines have been wasted as Typhoon Odette barreled parts of the country last week, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Monday.

DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said the 100 vials of Pfizer vaccines were wasted in Bingawan town in Iloilo province because of power interruptions.

The DOH said this is so far the only reported vaccine wastage due to Typhoon Odette, which is reported to be the strongest tropical storm to hit the country this year.

“Meanwhile, the assessment of vaccine wastage for Region 7, 8, and Caraga are still ongoing,” Vergeire said in a press briefing.

“Unfortunately, as of December 19, one hundred vials of Pfizer vaccines in Region 6, [in] Bingawan, Iloilo province was reported to be wasted. The National Vaccine Operations Cluster (NVOC) shall replenish stocks of Region 6,” she added.

Vergeire said the NVOC had previously issued a memorandum mandating regional operations centers, local vaccination operations centers, implementing units, and vaccination sites to closely monitor the temperature of vaccine storage places and ensure its condition is maintained within the recommended coldness for areas with power outages.

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