Supply shortage delays COVID-19 vaccination of Tarlac’s essential workers

An elderly resident of Tarlac City gets vaccinated against COVID-19. (Photo from the Tarlac City government)

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga––Due to the shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, some local governments in Tarlac province have yet to vaccinate frontline workers in essential sectors under the A4 priority group.

On Sunday, Aug. 22, the Capas municipal government asked for understanding from those under the A4 category about its vaccination drive.

“We apologize as the supply of vaccines that we received is limited and we need to follow the priority groups in the master list. A lot of individuals under the A4 category are queued on the list, but the amount of vaccines we’re receiving (from the Department of Health) is not enough,” it said.

The Capas municipal government said it had fully vaccinated 9,851 residents on the priority list, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), as of Aug. 20.

Some 7,363 of the town’s residents have received their first doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.

In Tarlac City, the local government issued a similar notice on Aug. 19, adding that it would prioritize those considered high-risk, like senior citizens and those who have comorbidities.

Aside from the health workers, medical frontliners, elderly residents, and persons with comorbidities, the city has also been vaccinating OFWs before being deployed abroad.

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