MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines launched on Monday the vaccination against COVID-19 of economic frontliners or those belonging to the A4 priority group.
The government held a symbolic vaccination of some 50 individuals from the tourism, transportation, mass media, food service and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries and sectors at a mall in Pasay City.
TV hosts Iya Villania and her husband Drew Arellano were among those who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine administered by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
The vaccination of A4 will first focus on the so-called NCR Plus 8 comprising Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao.
There are some 35.5 million workers under the A4 group.
Of this figure, approximately 13 million workers are located in the NCR Plus 8.
Local government units may give preference to persons 40 years old and above belonging to the said priority group.