PH eyeing to vaccinate ‘economic frontliners’ by Q2 of 2021

GETTING READY A barangay officer appears to be getting a shot during last Thursday’s Covid-19 mass vaccination simulation exercise at Isabelo de los Reyes Elementary School in Tondo, Manila. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is targeting to vaccinate “economic frontliners” like drivers and those in the food industry against Covid-19 by the second quarter of 2021, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

“And we are recommending sa second quarter, dapat maibigay na natin din, kasama na din sa ating recommendation, the protection of priority sectors, institutions,” Galvez said in a pre-taped meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte that was aired Monday night.

“This includes the economic frontliners. Yun po ang nirerecommend din ng Metro Manila mayors. Nakita natin yung mga driver, sa mga food industries, sa mga services, social service at the same time yung life support services kailangan maproteksyunan natin,” he added.

The order of priority in the country’s vaccination plan are frontline health workers, senior citizens, indigent population, uniformed personnel, and other vulnerable population groups.

The government is seeking to procure some 148 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, enough to vaccinate up to 70 million Filipinos this year.

Many Filipinos have lost their livelihoods due to the Covid-19 pandemic and quarantine restrictions.

In 2020, 4.5 million Filipinos became jobless with the unemployment rate jumping to 10.4 percent, the highest in 15 years.

/MUF