The “best-case scenario” for COVID-19 vaccination drive in the Philippines could start within the first quarter of 2021, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday.
“Ang best-case scenario sa atin ay by first quarter of 2021 or start of second quarter of 2021,” Duque said in an ANC interview.
However, the DOH chief admitted that the timeline for COVID-19 vaccination completion is not certain.
“Of course, it will take time because the schedule would include distribution of vaccines, deployment of people for inoculation,” he said.
So far, the COVID-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and British firm AstraZeneca-Oxford University have been proven at least 90% effective after clinical trials.
However, of the three potential vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna need a -70 to -80 degrees Celsius ultra-low freezer for storage to ensure the vaccines’ effectiveness. The cold storage requirement could be a challenge for countries with limited resources like the Philippines.
“We do not have that (ultra low freezer) as of the moment, according to the information I got from the Department of Trade and Industry,” Duque said.
Duque said that Pfizer eyes on giving the Philippines assistance in this matter.
“Our vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez, said that Pfizer might be willing to provide this very sophisticated -70 degrees cold storage to ensure the effectiveness of the vaccines,” he said.
COVID-19 vaccination may start Q1 of 2021 – Duque
Last month, Senator Pia Cayetano said that the storage and distribution cost of COVID-19 vaccines were not included in the proposed P212.7-billion budget for 2021.
She said the health department did not allocate funds for other expenses such as transportation, storage, vaccination training, and other incidental expenses.
The Department of Finance (DOF) had confirmed that there were loan options available, Cayetano added.
Health Undersecretary Carol Taiño previously said the DOH’s budget for warehousing for 2021 was not intended specifically for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana said Chinese pharmaceutical developing COVID-19 vaccines asked the Philippines to prepare adequate cold chain storage facilities.
“It’s not a condition. It’s just a reminder that if you get the vaccine and you don’t have cold chain storage, then it’s useless,” Sta. Romana said.