Tourism frontliners in quarantine hotels now A1 priority for vax

Tourism frontliners working in hotels operating as quarantine or isolation facilities are now included in the A1 priority group for COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines, a decision approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Senator Nancy Binay commended the IATF's decision, stating it ensures those manning isolation and quarantine hotels can focus on their tasks without endangering their families.

Binay emphasized that these workers' lives are also at risk due to constant exposure to the virus.

She expressed hope that the vaccination of other tourism workers, who are in the A4 priority group and eyed for June, would start as scheduled, as delays could impact not only the tourism industry but other sectors as well.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat had previously expressed gratitude for the inclusion, highlighting the risks faced by tourism workers and the importance of their protection for the industry and economic recovery.

Prior to this expanded inclusion, 2,507 employees from quarantine hotels had already been vaccinated.

The A1 priority group was initially designated for medical frontliners.