Palace: COVID-19 vaccination plan to prioritize elderly, with comorbidities

MANILA, Philippines — Once a vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) becomes available, the elderly and those with existing medical conditions will be prioritized, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the assurance as  he disclosed that the government already has a vaccination plan against the coronavirus.

“Syempre doon sa plano, merong mga uunahin. Uunahin yung mga particularly vulnerable, alam naman po natin kung sino yung mga vulnerable, ang mga matatanda pati po yung mga merong tinatawag na comorbidity,” Roque said in an interview over GMA-7.

(There are people who will be prioritized in the plan. Those who are vulnerable like the elderly and those with comorbidities will be prioritized.)

Should there be a vaccine, Roque noted that it will not be immediately available for everyone stressing its expected high demand worldwide.

“We’re praying po na unang una, magkaroon na ng bakuna at pangalawa, we’re praying na mabibigay natin sa lahat. Pero you can imagine, dahil ito’y kinakailangan ng buong daigdig, hindi naman po puwede na biglaan na magkaroon tayo ng vaccine for all,” he said.

(We’re praying that a vaccine will be available and that we’ll be able to give it to all. But you can imagine, the entire world needs this so immediately having the vaccine for all cannot be done.)

“Alam niyo siguro, ang mangyayari dyan, those who can afford e magbabayad, those who cannot afford, gobyerno magbabayad,” he added.

(Perhaps what will happen is that those who can afford it will pay while those who can’t will be shouldered by the government.)

President Rodrigo Duterte during his public address Tuesday night said he hopes COVID-19 patients do not die until a vaccine is available.

In a previous address, the President also said he would lift all quarantine measures in place once a vaccine is developed.

/MUF