The initial 15,000 doses of procured Russia-made Sputnik V vaccines will be divided among several vaccination sites in five Metro Manila cities namely Manila City, Makati, Taguig, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa.

The cities will be given 3,000 doses each to use on healthcare workers and people with comorbidities.

The doses will be distributed to the Makati Coliseum, Lakeshore Vaccination Hub, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Sta. Ana Hospital, Ospital ng Maynila, Asian Hospital, and Ospital ng Muntinlupa.

The first batch of vaccines made by Gamaleya Research in Russia that arrived in the country on April 28 requires ultra-cold storage.

This will be the first time local government units will handle vaccines requiring -18 degrees Celsius temperature during storage. The two other vaccines available in the country, Sinovac and AstraZeneca, can be kept in normal fridge temperature.

The distribution in five cities will be the logistical trial run as 480,000 more doses of Sputnik V are expected to arrive this month, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. This is also part of a 10-million dose deal, with supplies to be delivered over the next months.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday said they are in talks with private logistical companies to help transport the vaccines to urbanized areas in Davao, Cebu, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Western Visayas.

“Meron tayong kausap na logistical firms na may capacity to transport this kind of vaccines. Inaayos ng vaccine cluster ang rational na storage and distribution process especially for this type of vaccines. But what we ca assure is we have the capacity to do this,” she said in a media briefing. With CNN Philippines

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