Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday called on local government units to prioritize the vaccination of workers from 40 to 59 years old under the A4 category, or the economic frontliners, citing the limited vaccine supply.
“Hangga’t sa maari at kakayanin, dahil limitado pa rin ang bakunang ating natatanggap, nanawagan po tayo sa ating mga local chief executives na bigyang prayoridad sa A4 ‘yun pong may edad 40 years of age to 59 years of age,” he said in a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte and other Cabinet members.
[Translation: As much as possible, because of the limited supply of vaccines we have been receiving, we are calling on the local chief executives to prioritize those 40 to 59 years of age under A4.]
“Hangga’t sa maari, sila po ang uunahin within the economic frontliner priority group,” Duque added.
[Translation: As much as possible, they should be prioritized within the economic frontliner priority group.]
The national government has already started on Monday the inoculation of the A4 category which includes: private employees who are required to physically report to work; government employees; informal sector workers; and the self-employed who may be required to work outside of their homes and those working in private households.
Due to the still limited vaccine supply, the vaccination of the A4 priority group is being carried out first in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao, collectively known as NCR+8.
The World Health Organization has urged the prioritization of economic frontliners aged 45 and up.
“If we look at the data in the Philippines, deaths have happened in people over 45 years of age. So it is very important that we use the vaccines to reduce the deaths by prioritizing this group,” WHO country representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe previously said.
The country has administered at least 5.96 million COVID-19 shots, with 1,520,788 individuals having received their second vaccine dose.
