Bong Go asks cold storage facilities, evaluators to ensure proper handling of COVID-19 vaccines

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go reminded cold storage facilities and evaluators to guarantee the proper handling of COVID-19 vaccines which have varying temperature requirements.

"Sa mga evaluators ng cold storage, siguraduhin n'yo pong 100% na protektado po ang ating mga vaccine dahil po pinaghirapan natin makuha iyan, dahil ngayon po ay nag-aagawan po ng supply ng vaccine (sa buong mundo)," Go said during an ambush interview after he personally led the distribution of assistance to typhoon victims in Rodriguez, Rizal on Monday, February 8.

"So, siguraduhin nating walang masayang o walang masira o walang mapanis na vaccine na 'yan. Dahil kapag sira 'yan, eh kawawa naman po 'yung Pilipino na matuturukan ng sira na vaccine," he added.

Go noted that different vaccines have different temperature requirements, saying, "Katulad noong isa, negative 70 degrees po 'yung sa Pfizer. Sa Moderna naman, negative 20. So dapat protektado po ang ating mga vaccine through these cold storages," he added.

"So dapat, 100% 'yung paglalagyan, protektado po 'yung ating vaccine na hindi po masira," he added.

In January, the Department of Health said the country has adequate cold storage facilities that can support the temperature requirements of different vaccines, some of which have already been inspected by authorities.

For one, Zuellig Pharma's facility can accommodate 650 million doses of vaccines requiring 2 to 8 degrees centigrade storage temperature; 40 million doses of vaccines at negative 20 degrees centigrade; and 6.5 million doses at negative 70 to negative 80 degrees centigrade.

The company also has strategically positioned cold storage facilities in Cebu and Davao cities.

Meanwhile, Go said that once the vaccines are available in the country, he is willing to have himself inoculated to encourage Filipinos to be immunized, build public confidence and allay fears over vaccination.

"Not because gusto naming mauna kami. Not because we are the priority. No, ayaw ko pong bigyan kami ng priority, unahin na lang po natin 'yung mahihirap nating mga kababayan. Mas kailangan po nila 'yon," Go said.

"Subalit kung kailangan pong ipakita sa publiko para makuha po ang kumpiyansa ng bawat Pilipino ay payag po ako na mauna po kami para ipakita at magbigay po ng kumpiyansa sa ating mga kababayan," he explained.

While Filipinos want to be vaccinated, Go believes that someone must do it first to build the trust of the people.

"Dahil lahat ng mga kababayan natin gusto pong magpa-vaccine," said Go.

"Kaya lang, nagtuturuan, mauna muna kayo, mauna muna kayo. Dahil gusto nilang mapatunayan na talagang epektibo itong vaccine na binili ng gobyerno," he said, emphasizing the need to assure the people that vaccines are safe and effective.