Tolentino suggests DOH partner with ice cream firms for vaccine cold storage

Senator Francis Tolentino suggested that the Department of Health (DOH) should consider collaborating with ice cream manufacturers for the cold storage of COVID-19 vaccines.

During a Senate hearing on the DOH's proposed 2021 budget, Tolentino highlighted the need for specialized freezers capable of maintaining temperatures as low as -82°C for vaccine preservation, noting that the American firm Johnson & Johnson requires a -10°C freezer, which the DOH currently lacks.

He expressed concern over the absence of specific budget allocations for vaccine cold storage in the DOH's requested P290-million warehousing funds.

While Health Undersecretary Carol Taiño mentioned the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has a vaccine storage facility, Tolentino raised logistical challenges for nationwide vaccine distribution.

Tolentino proposed tapping the cold storage facilities of local ice cream brands like Magnolia and Selecta to prevent potential vaccine spoilage upon arrival.