Philippines needs cold storage facilities for COVID-19 vaccines, which China may release soon – ambassador

October 22, 2020

The Philippines should have cold storage facilities for the coronavirus disease vaccines, which China might distribute soon, an envoy said on Thursday.

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana, in a televised press briefing, reiterated China's assurance that the Philippines would be one of the priority countries once the COVID-19 vaccines are developed by Chinese manufacturers.

"The Chinese companies we have been in contact would have said that we need or the recipient countries should make sure that they have the capability for receiving vaccine. There's a need for what they call as cold chain storage.  These vaccines have to be stored in the conditions, in freezing conditions. Otherwise if exposed to tropical weather or to normal weather conditions, the vaccine could lose its effectiveness," he said.

"So, of course, these are matters for the experts to deal with. But, basically to point out, that from our discussions with the Chinese pharmaceutical companies, they have pointed out that the next challenge really is the distribution and the deployment of the vaccine," the ambassador explained.

He said at least three Chinese manufacturers are on the third phase of the trial of their vaccines and Beijing is using the vaccine on an emergency basis for its frontliners.

Sta. Romana said so far, those who received the vaccine in China did not show any adverse reaction.

He expressed hope that mass production of the vaccine would take place soon.

"Hopefully, mass production and distribution will happen in the near future, as early as November and December in terms of production. And it will depend on our capability to receive the vaccines in terms of our facilities, in terms of distribution. So, the prospect are bright in terms of a breakthrough in vaccine," he said.

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, in the same press briefing, assured that the government would have a budget for the storage facilities for the vaccines.

"Surely, as the sun rises in the east, there will be funds for that because the President (Rodrigo Duterte) will never allow that we will run short of the requirements to make sure that we have the storage facilities for all of these vaccines," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS