Gov’t puts local officials in A1 priority status in vaccination due to high COVID-19 exposure

The government has moved local government officials to the A1 priority list of its COVID-19 vaccination program due to their high exposure to the coronavirus, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday.

Roque said local officials now belong under the A1 group or the same category of health workers. Specifically, the local officials are now under A1.5.

BASAHIN: Mga gobernador at local chief executives (LCEs), inihanay bilang Priority Group A1.5 sa mga babakunahan kontra COVID-19. | via @divinereyes pic.twitter.com/4FMl7H2doU

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) May 17, 2021

"The mayors, governors, they are the ones implementing localized lockdown, prevention, detection, isolation, treatment and recovery programs. While they are not from the medical field, they are equally the frontliners in implementing our policies," Roque said.

"Sila talaga ang humaharap [sa tao]," he added.

(They are the ones doing the groundwork.)

The Philippines has administered at least 2.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of May 15 based on the records of the National Task Force Against COVID-19. 

Of this number, 714,432 already completed their two doses.

The Philippines has 54,904 active COVID-19 cases as of May 16. The total tally of COVID-19 cases in the country is 1,143,963. Of this number, 1,069,868 recovered while 19,191 died. —KG, GMA News