MMDA to check readiness of Metro cities for vaccine rollout by February

The Taguig City government said it tied up with Orca’s Cold Chain Solutions to use its 6-500 square meter facility in Barangay Bagumbayan as cold storage for the Covid-19 vaccines it has bought from England-based biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. PHOTO FROM TAGUIG PIO

MANILA, Philippines — The readiness of Metro Manila cities to participate in the Covid-19 immunization program will be thoroughly checked as the arrival date of the initial batch of vaccines nears, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Tuesday.

MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said in a press conference on Tuesday night that the Metro Manila Council (MMC) met with national government officials to discuss plans for the vaccination program, especially since vaccine vials will require delicate handling and proper storage to ensure high efficacy.

Garcia added that government agencies like the Department of Health (DOH), the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will be checking cold storage facilities to be used by the Metro local government units (LGUs) in storing the vaccines.

“Kanina nga po, napunta kami sa Pasig, kay Mayor Vico (Sotto), at pinakita niya ‘yong kahandaan if ever dumating na itong mga vaccine.  At tomorrow may schedule sa Taguig, sa Makati, and then sa Manila meron din.  So lahat po ng LGUs sa NCR pupuntahan po ‘yan to check on the preparation,” Garcia said.

“We’re also going to check kung papaano iha-handle, alam naman natin sensitive ‘yong ating mga vacccine, may mga (required) temperature ‘yan, may mga freezer, so doon po tumakbo ‘yong usapan.  At ‘yong DILG nagbigay rin ng assurance na ‘yong mga PNP personnel, BJMP, BFP, tutulong sa pag-manage,” he added.

According to Garcia, Metro Manila mayors have already asked IATF chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., on the date of the vaccines’ arrival.

Galvez reportedly replied that the first batch of the vaccines will arrive between the end of February or in early March.

“Ang mga mayors natin of course ang concern sa una, may tatlong questions sila palagi eh.  Ang una, kailan darating for them to prepare, hindi biro ‘yan.  Number two, gaano kadami, number three, anong brand.  Kasi ‘yong brand importante ‘yan may kanya-kanyang temperature bawat brand,” the MMDA official said.

“So kailangan paghandaan talaga ‘yan, ayaw nating mapanisan ng bakuna, sayang.  At ang pagkasabi ni Secretary Galvez, of course, actually napaka-swerte natin kung may darating na ngayong February or March, first quarter meron na tayo,” he explained.

Metro Manila and other major areas and cities in the country are expected to receive the first batch of vaccines especially as the National Capital Region (NCR) remains to be the virus epicenter in the country.

Data from the DOH COVID-19 tracker website showed that almost half of the total confirmed cases in the Philippines — 219,935 of the 516,166 cases — are in the NCR.  In terms of active cases, more than one-fourth of the country’s patients or 7,961 of the 30,357 are in Metro Manila.

READ: PH’s Covid-19 cases climb to 516,166 with 1,173 new cases

Garcia also noted that healthcare workers, whether from private or public hospitals, would be prioritized for the vaccine.

“Ang uunahin, because first quarter unti-unti ang dating ng bakuna eh, hindi naman biglaan na bultuhan milyon-milyon agad ‘yan […] kaya ang bibigyan ng priority is really ‘yong health workers, mapa-private, mapa-public government hospital, military hospital, lahat ng health workers ‘yan po ang uunahin,” he assured.

“At ‘yong mga magbabakuna, ‘yan po para hindi sila mahawa.  That’s why ang ating mga local government units pinagpe-prepare para sa ganyang mga gagamitin para maging successful ang pagbabakuna,” he added.

/MUF