Gov. Arthur Yap bares that his administration has narrowed the list of anti-Coronavirus disease (Covid) vaccine suppliers to two (2) manufacturers.
This was the revelation of the governor during the regular weekly virtual press conference on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021.
The 2 vaccine producers in mentioned to supply Bohol with anti-Covid vaccines are AstraZenica and Novavax.
“Sa pagkakaron nakig-negotiate kita sa duha ka kompanya nga sa atong nahibaw-an sila maoy pinakaubos ug presyo ug adunay practical refrigeration need ug taas na efficiency rates. Ang duha ka kompanya mao ang AstraZenica ug ang Novavax,” the governor said during the press conference.
The governor added that the vaccines from these 2 identified manufacturers don’t pose any refrigeration problems.
“They do not have refrigeration problems. Ang [storage] temperatura for the Novavax and the AstraZanica is 2 to 8 degrees [Celsius]. So makasakay na sila sa regular refrigeration capacity sa probinsya,” the governor explained.
There is no specific date when the vaccines will arrive here as the province is still negotiating with the said pharmaceutical companies, the governor revealed.
Despite having talks with the 2 companies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is yet to issue an Emergency Use Authority (EUA) to vaccines manufactured by the 2 companies mentioned by the governor.
As of press time, only the vaccine manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech of the United States has an EUA from the Philippines’ FDA.
The EUA is needed to legally rollout the vaccines in the country, according to FDA director general Eric Domingo.
The vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech needs to be stored in ultra-low freezers capable of maintaining temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius.
Bohol has no ultra-low temperature freezers available as of the moment, according to Provincial Administrator Kathyrin Pioquinto.
AstraZenica is British-Swedish drug manufacturer based in Cambrige, England, United Kingdom (UK).
On the other hand, Novavax is an American pharmaceutical company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA.
As this developed, the Provincial Development Council (PDC) on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, approved the supplementary investment plan (SIP) containing the budget of P100million to be used in the procurement of anti-Covid vaccines.
Meanwhile, the governor says that he is still weighing his options as to what vaccine to get for himself.
“I am still weighing my options, on what bakuna to get,” he revealed.
WILLING TO ACCEPT FREE VACCINES FROM NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Yap said that the provincial government will gladly accept free vaccine stocks coming from the national government.
“Of course, if there are free vaccines given by the national government dawaton nato,” he quipped.
However, the governor said the Boholanos cannot be forced to get inoculated with vaccines supplied by the national government.
“Kay kining atong vaccine program be it national or provincial rollout will always be voluntary,” the provincial administrator Pioquinto chimed in.
CITY LEVEL VACCINE UPDATE
During Friday’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP), City Health Officer Dr. Jeia Pondoc revealed that the vaccine stocks from the national government might arrive sooner than the vaccine stocks procured by the city government of Tagbilaran.
Pondoc sees the arrival of national government vaccine stocks by March, 2021.
As this developed, Kag. Adam Jala revealed in a radio interview over Newsmakers Ug Uban Pa, hosted by the mother and son tandem of Ardy and Chandymar Araneta-Batoy on Friday, that the city’s vaccine stocks may arrive by July 2021.
In the same interview, Jala mentioned the vaccine costs around P610 for the 2 shots needed so that a person can gain immunity against Covid. The city government’s current vaccine budget is enough to inoculate 24,000 residents of the city.
Jala mentioned that the national government may start distributing vaccine stocks made by Chinese vaccine manufacturer Sinovac by March, 2021.
The city government earmarked P10million to be used in the procurement of vaccines and received an additional P5million budget from the national government making a total of P15million allotted for the purchase of the vaccine,
Mayor John Geesnell Yap II indicated in a social media post that the city government is leaning towards procuring the vaccine manufactured by AstraZenica.
The city government opened a pre-registration period for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD) who want to get the free doses of vaccine.
Furthermore, the city government will soon open the pre-registration schedule for residents – 18 to 59 years old – who want to get the free vaccine from the city, anytime next week, according to the mayor.
All frontliners in the city, including city government employees are automatically listed as recipients of free vaccine from Tagbilaran, the mayor further revealed.
Moreover, Jala also said there is a possibility for the city government to procure cold storage facilities for the stocks of vaccine.
He also pointed out the need to train the vaccinators to prepare them once the vaccine stocks arrive.
The city alderman, during the interview, also pointed out the need to educate the barangay folks about the safety and side effects of the vaccine.