Energy department says ensuring backup sources to protect vaccines
THE ENERGY department on Wednesday said it is already monitoring whether distribution utilities are ensuring reliable and stable supply of energy in cold storage facilities for coronavirus vaccines.
Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella told a televised news briefing that the agency is also making sure that power distributors have placed diesel generators in areas where vaccine warehouses are located.
“We are looking at the distribution utilities, if they are giving focus and protecting the vaccines,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Philippine pandemic officials earlier said no coronavirus vaccines were spoiled during the rotational brownouts in several parts of Luzon that started Monday.
National pandemic plan deputy chief implementer Vivencio B. Dizon on Tuesday said vaccines were stored in warehouses that have backup power. He added that local governments were required to have power generators before they were authorized to store vaccines.
Vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. has said the country was prepared for potential storage problems as simultaneous drills were conducted before vaccines arrived in the country.
The National Electrification Administration has already asked electric cooperatives to ensure power supply in vaccine warehouses.
The Energy department earlier told a Senate committee that there would be no power interruptions during the rollout of coronavirus vaccines. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
