Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccines

Each day, over 6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are administered in 82 countries. According to Bloomberg, more than 186 million shots have so far been given all over the world.

In the Philippines, the government announced its readiness to launch the vaccination drive, which aims to vaccinate over 90 million adults by the end of 2021. This seeks to attain herd immunity, a situation wherein a considerable percentage of the population becomes immune to the infection, curtailing its spread.

The City Government of Pasig conducted a full simulation of its COVID-19 Vaccination process last February 16. (photo from Pasig City Public Information FB page)

Mock Vaccinations and Dry Runs

To prepare for the vaccines’ arrival, several sectors have been conducting simulations of the vaccination process. Pasig was the first local government unit to have its vaccine plan approved, which met the requirements mapped out by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. This early approval meant that Pasig will be one of the first cities to receive the COVID-19 vaccines once they arrive.

The plan is a detailed outline of the three phases: pre-vaccination, vaccination and post-vaccination. With Pasig planning to vaccinate more than 700,000 residents, all steps—from the registration and floor plan to the process flow and emergency response—were meticulously prepared. Last February 16, the LGU held a complete simulation of the procedure headed by the Pasig City Beat COVID-19 Task Force, Mayor Vico Sotto and the vaccination team. Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) were present to give their observations on how to improve the process.

(photo from Philippine News Agency)

Hospitals have also been conducting their dry runs, including the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the country’s biggest COVID-19 referral hospital.

Proud Partner

AIR21 crew loading a refrigerated truck

With over 40 years of experience in various logistics services, AIR21 is proud to be a major partner in the government’s COVID-19 vaccine storage and handling. AIR21 President Maricris Campit shares that for almost 15 years, the company has been servicing the transport and distribution needs of various pharmaceutical businesses nationwide. “The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) granted us a license to operate as a drug wholesaler. We are also certified by WHO to handle pharmaceutical products. Out robust system for shipment tracking and tracing allows us to monitor, not only the progress of nationwide deliveries, but also the temperatures inside the trucks. As the accredited logistics provider of the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) since 2010, AIR21 is able to reach the country’s remote rural areas.” 

To ensure the vaccines’ safety and efficacy, they need to be maintained in very low temperatures in every step of the way— from their arrival in the airport to storage and delivery. Campit highlights AIR21’s capability strengthened by the country’s biggest fleet of multi-temperature delivery vehicles. “We have over 100 refrigerated and temperature-control trucks that are Euro 2 and Euro 4-compliant, which means they meet globally-accepted emission standards. These are capable of transporting, not only temperature-sensitive goods like medicines and vaccines, but also medical supplies needed in the vaccination process. All our trucks are equipped with GPS trackers and temperature-monitoring software.”

AIR21’s high performance and customer-driven culture is also boosted by its vast network of dedicated delivery agents nationwide. Aside from meeting various shipping requirements grounded on protocols set by pharmaceutical companies, AIR21 also guarantees on-time deliveries based on the requirements of the national government and local government units.

“On-time delivery ensures the timely administration of the vaccines,” Campit explains. “This seamless delivery is very critical in meeting the vaccination schedules without any untoward incident such as vaccine spoilage that may endanger the public.”

One of AIR21’s cold-storage facilities

As the flagship company of OneLGC, AIR21 partners with its affiliates to provide comprehensive services in support of the vaccination drive. These include Nague, Malic, Magnawa, and Associates Customs Brokers (NMM) for customs clearance; U-Freight Philippines for the freight movement from airport to warehouse; Cargohaus and LGC Logistics for the cold-chain storage; Integrated Waste Management Inc. (IWMI) for the collection and proper disposal of medical wastes; and E-Konek Pilipinas for the data information and communications technology. 

Because of AIR21’s strong capability and vast resources, the company is invited as partners by competitors in a concerted effort toward pandemic recovery. Campit shares, “We are so proud and excited about this. We feel we are a big player in ensuring that the government fulfills its target in conducting 100% vaccination in the country. The whole team looks forward to giving support to our national government and local government units. It’s a great feeling to be part of this mission.”