CHR hits 'selfish' individuals who jumped line for COVID-19 vaccines

Those who jumped the line for coronavirus vaccines “selfishly deprived” health workers of much needed protection and jeopardized the country’s vaccine supply from the COVAX facility, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Thursday.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia pointed out that the Philippines’ current vaccine supply is scarce. Only 1,525,600 doses have been delivered to the country so far. 

“Individuals excluded from the priority list that jump the vaccination queue selfishly deprive healthcare workers of much-need vaccines and jeopardizes succeeding, agreed upon, free vaccine allocations from the COVAX facility,” she said in a statement.

The World Health Organization earlier warned the Philippines that it could lose its supply of doses from COVAX, an initiative for equitable vaccine distribution, if it fails to follow the priority list. 

The vaccine prioritization list puts frontline workers in healthcare facilities, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities first in line for inoculation. 

Despite this, several mayors as well as a certain celebrity got vaccinated ahead of health workers in recent days. 

The CHR welcomed the investigations launched by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Health into these individuals. 

However, De Guia also reminded the government that “the pandemic is a health crisis and not a peace and order agenda.”

"The ongoing pandemic is best addressed with effective practices anchored on public health. Measures meant to curb virus transmission should ultimately be mindful of human rights standards and acceptable limits of restrictions,” she said.

The CHR also called on the government to avoid vaccine wastage and work with the private sector to address bottlenecks in the procurement and distribution of vaccines.

“Protecting the right to health, which supports a life of dignity and quality, is part of the obligations of the state to its citizens. There are other challenges too that need government attention, such as social welfare of the poorest of the poor in this critical time,” it said.

The Philippines has vaccinated over 500,000 individuals as of March 23. The country has 91,754 active cases as of Wednesday afternoon.  —KBK, GMA News