“We will no longer risk using the vaccine because there was a change in temperature,” Health Undersecretary Vergeire said.

The Department of Health in Region 10 (DOH-10) said on Friday, April 16, that it will replace the COVID-19 vaccines destroyed by a fire that gutted the Misamis Oriental Provincial Health Office (PHO) Wednesday evening, April 14.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the department will replace the wastage of 30 vials of AstraZeneca (containing 300 doses that could have been administered to 300 individuals) and may be considered part of the buffer that the DOH allocated for spoilage.

While the fire did not damage the vaccine storage, the stability and effectiveness of the vaccine were affected due to the high temperature during the fire.

“Dahil nagkaroon ng sunog (Because there was a fire), temperature was high so hindi na ho natin i-ri-risk na tingnan pa at gamitin ang bakuna dahil nabago na po ang temperatura (We will no longer risk using the vaccine because there was a change in temperature),” Vergeire said.

Unopened vials of AstraZeneca vaccine can last up to six months if stored at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. While in use, the vaccines must be kept in temperatures between 2 and 25 degrees Celsius.

“We are glad it was not that many (destroyed Covid-19 vaccines); it was only (good for) 30 doses. We have a commitment to that so we can replenish it immediately,” Dr. Jose R. Llacuna, DOH-10 director, said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Yevgeny Vicente Emano said that the destroyed offices would be replaced with a new three-storey office building on the same site.

Meantime, affected offices were temporarily transferred to other areas in the provincial Capitol, including the temporary vaccination sites for COVID-19.

—(Source: Sunstar)

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