Vaccines from capsized boat safe, still usable: Vergeire

MANILA – Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Saturday the vaccine vials from the boat that capsized in Real, Quezon on May 13 were intact and are still safe for use.

“Naimbestigahan na po natin iyan and apparently itong mga bakuna ay naka-doble ang plastic so hindi sila nagalaw (We’ve already conducted an investigation and apparently the vaccines were wrapped twice in plastic so they were untouched),” she told the Laging Handa briefing.

Vergeire said authorities also double-checked the potency of the shots and concluded that they are still safe for use.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Friday that a Department of Agriculture (DA) service boat capsized after accidentally hitting a concrete post about 100 meters away from the shoreline of Barangay Ungos, Real, Quezon.

The DA service boat was carrying two boxes of Covid-19 vaccines, two personnel from the Department of Health, and two police officers of the Municipal Police Station (MPS) Polillo, as well as the boat captain and the motorman.

According to the PCG, all individuals were rescued and were declared safe.