Public urged to report people jumping the line for COVID-19 vaccination

Health authorities on Wednesday urged the public to report individuals who jump the line for COVID-19 vaccination amid a supply scarcity.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the public can report to the Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau through its hotline, 8651-7800 local 2527.

“I hope we all guard our vaccines so that we can appropriately give it to those people who are at most need at this time of our pandemic,” she said in a virtual briefing.

Several mayors have been asked to explain why they got vaccinated despite not being health workers, who are the top priority in the inoculation campaign.

Vergeire also stressed that the government does not have a “plus one” policy that allows relatives or friends of healthcare workers to get vaccinated ahead of others in the priority list.

“‘Wag nating kunin ‘yung bakuna na dapat do’n sa tao na magliligtas ng ating buhay (Let’s not take the vaccines meant for people who will save our lives),” she said.

Vergeire said the Department of Health is also working with the Interior and Justice Departments to determine a penalty for those skipping the line for vaccines.

Under the government’s prioritization list, frontline workers in healthcare facilities, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities should be the first to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The World Health Organization has warned the Philippines that it could lose its supply of doses from the COVAX Facility, a global initiative for equitable vaccine distribution, if it fails to comply with the priority list.

The country has so far received 1,525,600 Sinovac and AstraZeneca doses. A total of 508,332 individuals have been vaccinated as of March 23.—AOL, GMA News