Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday urged local government units (LGUs) to focus on vaccinating individuals aged 40 to 59 years old who fall under the A4 priority category as vaccine stock remained low.
“Hangga’t sa maari at kakayanin, dahil limitado pa rin ang bakunang ating natatanggap, nanawagan po tayo sa ating mga local chief executives na bigyang prayoridad sa A4 ‘yun pong may edad 40 years of age to 59 years of age,” Duque said in a televised meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte and other Cabinet members.
“Hangga’t sa maari, sila po ang uunahin within the economic frontliner priority group,” the health chief added.
The country started inoculating members of the A4 priority group on Monday.
Vaccines for A4 workers are being deployed in “NCR-Plus 8,” composed of the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has classified the following workers as under the A4 category:
- private-sector workers required to be physically present at their designated workplace outside their residences
- employees in government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations and local government units
- informal sector workers and self-employed who may be required to work outside their residences, and those working in private households.
The Philippines has received 9,329,050 Covid-19 vaccine doses. John Ezekiel J. Hirro