The Marikina City local government assured the public on Wednesday, July 28, that COVID-19 vaccines stored in the city are safe and secured amid the continuous onslaught of monsoon rains and flooding in various parts of the city and Metro Manila.
“Iyong itinayong storage facility, itinaas na ito ayon doon sa scenario na bahain iyong area. Nakataas ito at located sa second floor ng facility (The storage facility has been transferred to an upper floor based on the scenario that the area is prone to flooding)," Marikina City Mayor Marcelino 'Marcy' Teodoro said in an interview with DZBB.
Teodoro added that the storage facility is located at the second floor of the cold-chain facility and explained that the vaccines are being shipped on the same day or the following day to various local government units in Metro Manila and to the provinces.
He said that the only remaining doses in the facility are the "buffer" shots.
“Dahil naman mabilis ang deployment ng bakuna kaya halos walang bakunang nakatabi roon ngayon. Kung makikita mo, ang mga bakuna kokonti lang ang nandoon, talagang buffer lang kung tawagin (Because of the fast deployment of the vaccines, there is almost no vaccine left in storage. If you can see, the remaining doses there are the so-called bufffer shots),” Teodoro said.
According to the mayor, the cold-chain facility is also prepared for power interruptions as it has backup generators that can provide sufficient electricity to keep the required temperatures for the vaccines.
The National Capital region has been battered by monsoon rains which caused the water level of Marikina River to increase, prompting the LGU to raise alarms and evacuate some of its residents.