Vax rollout for essential workers, indigents to focus first in ‘NCR Plus 8’– DOH

MANILA, Philippines — The upcoming vaccination of essential workers (A4 sector) and indigent citizens (A5 sector) will focus first in Metro Manila and in eight other areas where there are high COVID-19 cases, a Department of Health (DOH) official said Wednesday.

“Since dumating na po yung mga volumes ng vaccine natin, gagawin nating simultaneous. So tutuloy pa rin natin yung mga hindi nacover ng A1 [health workers], A2 [senior citizens], A3 [persons with comorbidities] tapos ieexpand na po yung coverage to A4 and A5,” DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in a televised briefing.

(Since the volumes of vaccines have arrived, we will conduct simultaneous vaccinations. We will continue vaccinating those under A1, A2 and A3 then expand the coverage to A4 and A5.)

“Pero nakafocus lang muna sa tinatawag nating NCR Plus 8. Kasi doon muna ang buhos natin sa ating geographic prioritization,” she added.

(But we will first focus on the so-called NCR Plus 8. We will concentrate on our geographic prioritization.)

NCR Plus 8 comprises Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao.

READ: COVID-19 vaccination target may need adjustment – Galvez

“Ico-concentrate natin sa tinatawag nating geographic area kung saan nandoon yung surge ng mga cases, A4, A5 sa NCR Plus 8,” said Cabotaje, who is also chairman of the National Vaccination Operations Center.

(We will concentrate it in geographic areas where there is a surge in cases, A4, A5 in NCR Plus 8.)

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government may start vaccinating essential workers and indigent citizens in June or once the volume of COVID-19 vaccines is already stabilized.

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