Traffic, road potholes pose challenges to vaccine transport – COVID-19 team

The Iloilo City government rolled out its preparation for the arrival and transport of COVID-19 vaccines by July 2021.

On Tuesday, the Iloilo City COVID-19 Team conducted a transport simulation exercise to evaluate the necessary procedures for the transport of the doses.

The simulation focused on the transport of the vaccines from the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town, Iloilo to the Jubilee Hall in City Proper district which will serve as the storage facility of the doses.

Among the challenges that were observed during the exercise include the ongoing infrastructure projects, traffic system, and the bumpy roads in some areas, according to Jeck Conlu, spokesperson of the Iloilo City COVID-19 Team.

“Nakit-an naton ang scenario kag nakita naton ang mga challenges kaangay sang ongoing projects sang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) particularly for the two flyovers, ang aton traffic system, and may gamay nga buho ukon lubak-lubak nga dalan so istoryahan ta pa ang DPWH para before maabot makay-o nila,” he said in a the Uswag Patrol program of the city government.

Conlu said they will closely coordinate with the DPWH for other alternative routes and the possible repair of roads with bumpy areas.

The safe transport of the vials is a must to protect the vaccines’ efficacy and avoid exposure to high temperature.

During the simulation exercise, the Iloilo City COVID-19 Team was able to transport the vaccines from the airport to the storage facility in a controlled time of 21 minutes.

Conlu said the time may either be shortened or extended depending on the strategy of the city government. He explained that fast transport is not so much of a requirement for moving the vaccines.

But he emphasized, that the most crucial part in handling the vaccines is its temperature limit. Hence, it must be ensured that the vaccines will not be exposed outside of its temperature limit.

“Our controlled speed is 21 minutes, but it may reach 30 minutes depende. Nakahanda man kita sa kadasigon but we have to maintain gid ang safe handling sang vaccine because the vaccines have temperature limit so indi dapat maexpose sa karsada. That is why safe and secured dapat ang convoy ta because any untoward incident indi naton mabal-an so we have to be careful,” he said.

Conlu said all the observations and recommendations during the simulation exercise will be properly evaluated as the city prepares for the arrival of the vaccines by July.

Meanwhile, another vaccine simulation exercise will be conducted at the Ateneo de Iloilo-Santa Maria Catholic School today, March 3. This will be the second round of the city’s vaccine simulation exercise as it targets to achieve the safe and smooth flow of the vaccination process.

Iloilo City has already made the partial down payment for its purchase of 600,000 doses of Oxford’s Astrazeneca vaccines for the 300,000 residents of the metro. (ERS)