Bohol will, of course, get its share of the supply of vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech, and it would happen through a workaround.
Just before deadline last night, The Bohol Tribune got the information that the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) chief implementer and vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez told Gov. Arthur Yap in a series of text messages that while it is true that Bohol is not in the center of gravity in the distribution of Pfizer vaccines, there are workarounds that can be used to deliver to the province the vaccines and store these for several days.
Moreover, the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center (GCGMMC) has already an ultra-low temperature freezer that can store the Pfizer-made vaccines, according to the joint statement by GCGMMC medical center chief Dr. Mutya Kismet Macuno and the Provincial Health Office, officer-in- charge Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez – a statement that The Bohol Tribune got just before deadline last night, too.
As this developed, it is definite Boholanos will be able to avail themselves of the vaccine with a high efficacy rate of 95%, according to Pfizer’s website.
Galvez told Yap last night, that while the Pfizer vaccines will be shipped and stored in the National Capital Region and nearby areas, Cebu City and Metro Davao, third party distributors, like Zuellig, which have presence in Cebu City, may be able to deliver the Pfizer vaccines using “shipper boxes” to Bohol.
According to Galvez, the shipper boxes will be using dry ice to keep the temperature ideal for the vaccines while in transit.
Furthermore, the same shipper box can store the vaccines for a few days, Galvez added.
The said shipper boxes are able to store 5,850 vaccines for days in deep freeze temperatures through dry ice packing, Galvez explained to Yap.
With the development, Galvez said the IATF does not recommend the purchase for ultra-low temperature freezers as Bohol will get its Pfizer vaccine share, anyway, even without the needed cold storage facility.
Galvez’ statement that was sent to Yap reinforced the latter’s stance not to buy the ultra-low temperature frezer for the sole purpose of storing the Pfizer vaccine.
In a text message to The Bohol Tribune, Yap said, “Imagine, Galvez has even advised us not to buy refrigeration equipment. Still we can receive Pfizer vaccines through “shipper boxes” or special dry ice packed boxes through Cebu. So why waste money where it is not needed? Anyway, Gallares [the GCGMMC] has deep freeze capabilities now which will allow us to receive vaccines, anyway. So, what’s the fuss all about?”
It was reported that on May 11, 2021, Sec. Michael Dino, Presidential Adviser for the Visayas, announced about 29,250 doses of Pfizer vaccines that arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
Initially, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, the spokesperson of the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas, said that only Metro Cebu will be the area in Central Visayas that will be getting the Pfizer vaccines.
However, Loreche made this statement prior to the pronouncement made by Galvez to Yap last night.
PH GETTING 40 MILLION PFIZER VACCINE DOSES
The Philippines sealed a deal with Pfizer on Friday, May 14, 2021 stating that the latter will supply the former with 40 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, according to Galvez.
This is the biggest vaccine supply procurement to date by the Philippine government.
Earlier, the Philippines signed a deal with Sinovac for 25 million doses, with AstraZenica for 17 million doses, with Novavax for 30 million doses, and with Moderna for 13 million doses.
Furthermore, early last week, the country received around 193,050 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the Covax facility of the World Health Organization.
This is really one piece of good news for the Boholano people.