Manila Bulletin
WHO urges PH gov't, LGUs to follow vaccine prioritization for Covax facility jabs
The World Health Organization (WHO) urged the Philippine government and local government units (LGUs) to strictly adhere to the prioritization list when administering COVID-19 vaccines obtained through the COVAX facility.
WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe emphasized this adherence is crucial for maximizing the vaccine's impact on public health.
The COVAX facility has pledged to supply vaccines sufficient for 20 percent of the Philippines' population.
Abeyasinghe specifically highlighted the importance of prioritizing frontline healthcare workers (A1 group) and the elderly population (A2 group).
He noted that it is premature to divert COVAX vaccines to other groups, given that the elderly (A2) account for the highest number of deaths and severe COVID-19 cases, with only about 10 percent vaccinated.
This call comes amid reports that certain LGUs are reportedly misallocating COVAX facility vaccines, such as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, for political purposes.
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The Philippine government has prioritized overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) scheduled for deployment within four months and the immediate family members of healthcare workers in its COVID-19 vaccination program.
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The Philippines is expected to receive a total of 4 million doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines in June through the COVAX facility.
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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is urging the government to open COVID-19 vaccinations to the general public due to vaccine hesitancy among priority groups.
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Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. proposed to President Rodrigo Duterte to begin vaccinating priority workers and the indigent population by the end of May.
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President Rodrigo Duterte has mandated that only the indigent population (A5 priority group) will receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses procured through the COVAX Facility.
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