The Cabinet has already approved the recommendation to start vaccinating economic frontliners and the poor when the country’s supply increases.
It is even unfinished to vaccinate medical frontliners, senior citizens, and those with comorbidities, belonging to priority sector A1 to A3.
Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr. told President Rodrigo Duterte that it is important to start vaccinating the next sectors to achieve herd immunity before the end of the year.
“[K]ailangan, kumbaga, sa ano, lalakihan natin ang embudo kasi kung maliit ang embudo natin, wala po tayong, ano, wala tayong gaanong makukuha. So ang gagawin natin, lalakihan natin ang net para ‘yong ano natin, ‘yong tinatawag nating target population, lumaki,” said Galvez.
An estimated 12 million Filipinos are in the A4 category or economic frontliners, while 16 million are in the A5 or poor.
Vaccination of economic frontliners, indigents may begin in June
According to Galvez, vaccines donated from the COVAX facility will be used on those in the A5, while purchased vaccines will be used in the economic frontliners.
Duterte said priority must be given to vaccinating the poor, including uniformed soldiers and police, along with their respective families.
“If there is a difficulty in getting them out of their respective communities, kayo na ang papasok doon. Enter the place, and do the vaccination there… Pauna ko yong mga pulis, pati military, because sila yong asahan ko,” said Duterte.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque, on the other hand, proposed to make vaccination a condition for receiving assistance for the beneficiaries of 4P’s program, especially now that there are still many who are reluctant to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
But if only the President is to be asked, people who do not want to be vaccinated should not go out of the house to not infect others.
“We cannot force you. But then, sana, kung ayaw niyo magpabakuna, ‘wag na kayo lumabas ng bahay para hindi na kayo maghawa ng ibang tao,” said Duterte.
So far, the government has vaccinated up to 3 million vaccines since the vaccine rollout began on March 1.
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