Gov’t eyes to vaccinate 1 million healthcare workers, frontliners in February

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is aiming to vaccinate at least one million healthcare workers and frontliners against Covid-19 in February, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Wednesday.

He said the country is expecting to receive more than one million vaccine doses in February, which will solely be intended for healthcare workers and frontliners.

“So ‘yung one million plus doses this coming February, this is intended only for healthcare workers and also sa ating mga frontliners, especially ‘yung magiging vaccinators,” Galvez said in a press conference in Taguig City.

(The one million doses expected in February will be intended for healthcare workers and also frontliners especially the vaccinators.)

“That is our target,” he added when asked if the government is eyeing to vaccinate one million healthcare workers and frontliners in February.

He said the vaccine doses will be “equitably distributed” across the country, especially in highly urbanized cities and high Covid-19 prevalence areas.

“We will make an equitable distribution based on geographical affectation. At the same time ‘yung sectoral, ‘yung mga Covid-19 referral hospitals, ‘yan ang pinakauna,” Galvez said.

Distribution will also depend on the kind of vaccine that will first arrive in the country. Galvez said if vaccines that require sub-zero temperature storage such as Pfizer-BioNTech will arrive first, areas with cold chain facilities will get the said vaccine doses, such as Metro Manila, Greater Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

JE