Published January 22, 2021, 11:35 AM
DAVAO CITY – The local government of Davao will receive the initial doses of the Pfizer-BionTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines from the national government late next month,
In this file illustration photo taken on November 17, 2020, are pictured vials with Covid-19 Vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German partner BioNTech.(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
This was disclosed by Davao City Focal Person on COVID-19 Dr. Ashley Lopez who said local authorities were already preparing the logistical support, particularly the ultra-cold storage facilities for the vaccines that would be coming from the US-based drug maker.
January 22, 2021 HEALTH officials in Davao City revealed that some medical practitioners are having reservations about getting the Covid-19 vaccine due to various reasons.
Davao Medical Society (DMS) president Dr. Jose Beltran Jr. told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that this was the sentiment of some of its members, who are from different medical fields and specializations.
Beltran said their medical association was invited as a stakeholder consultant in the crafting of the Davao City Vaccination Program, which is currently being scrutinized at the 19th Davao City Council. The program is crafted by the committee on health chaired by Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte.
January 19, 2021 THE Covid-19 molecular laboratory at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (FBIA), recently accredited by the Department of Health (DOH), will start running its reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, but it will not be intended for arriving passengers, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said.
Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday, January 18, that the city got its license to operate the airport lab on Friday, January 15.
The laboratory can now process specimens of suspected or probable Covid-19 patients.
The laboratory was donated by the United Laboratories in September 2020.
Before the official DOH accreditation, the laboratory was used for the training of medical technologists and validation of result purposes, but not for testing for the City Government.
January 10, 2021 THE Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) inaugurated on Saturday, January 9, 2021, its P18-million molecular laboratory that could quadruple its testing capacity.
The facility was donated by the Metrobank Foundation (MBFI) and George Ty Foundation and constructed by the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU). The facility was formally turned over to SPMC over the weekend.
The molecular facility will be conducting a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test of up to 200 samples a day, with a result turn-around time of three operating days.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, in a statement read by Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Marjorie Culas, said the new molecular laboratory will help improve the city government s testing efforts in its Covid-19 response.