IATF to determine priority areas for COVID-19 vaccine
(Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The government’s COVID-19 task force is set to meet Thursday to discuss areas that will be prioritized for the expected COVID-19 vaccine, Health Secretary Francsico Duque III said.
“This afternoon, the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases] will meet again and decide on which geographic areas need to be prioritized,” Duque said Thursday in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.
A number of local government units (LGUs) earlier unveiled plans to procure COVID-19 vaccines.
LGUs have been allowed to secure supplies of COVID-19 vaccines via tripartite agreements with manufacturers and the national government.
The government, however, drew flak from some sectors over its supposedly uncoordinated vaccination plan, which Duque dismissed.
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Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (Screengrab from Kapihan sa Manila Bay video interview)
“This is really going to be a national government effort with the President’s approval of the LGUs supporting the national government. This is a complementary effort, this is not an uncoordinated effort,” Duque said.
Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Philippines is eyeing to purchase 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this year.
