Galvez: Gov’t to hold symbolic vaccine rollout for A4 group on June 7

The government will conduct a symbolic vaccine rollout for the A4 priority group on June 7, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday.

“Meron kaming tatawagin na rollout or symbolic rollout this coming June 7. It will be attended by high officials, the secretaries,” Galvez said in an ANC interview.

(We will have this what we call symbolic rollout this coming June 7. It will be attended by high officials, the secretary.)

He said the local government units will also conduct simultaneous events as Galvez emphasized that the local officials have been waiting for the vaccination of their economic frontliners and government workers.

“Ito talaga yung inaantay ng mga LGUs considering that we have to protect our economic and government workers. Nakikita na ito ay humigit kumulang 12 million population and they are rearing and very eager to be vaccinated,” he said.

(The LGUs have been waiting for this considering that we have to protect our economic and government workers. We have more or less 12 million population and they are rearing and very eager to be vaccinated.)

Despite the holding of symbolic vaccine rollout for A4 workers, Galvez disclosed that the actual rollout will commence once the main bulk of COVID-19 vaccine supplies from the COVAX Facility arrives in the country.

“Ang pinaka-rollout talaga sa economic frontliners at government workers ay ‘pag dumating na ang main bulk from COVAX, ‘yung Pfizer at ‘yung almost two million na Sinovac. So more or less meron tayong 5 million this June 15. Nakikita natin na medyo okay na ang ating supply this mid of June,” he said.

(We will conduct the main rollout of vaccines to the economic frontliners and government workers once the main bulk of COVID-19 vaccines arrive from COVAX and once the two million Sinovac doses are delivered. So more or less, we will have 5 million this June 15 and we see that the supply is getting steady this mid of June.)

Once the rollout has started, Galvez said the prioritization of A4 group will be based on age.

“Nung nagkaroon kami ng [Inter-Agency Task Force] meeting, napagkasunduan na dalawa (ang classification sa A4) 40 and up tapos 39 and below,” he said.

(When we conducted an IATF meeting, we have agreed that we will categorize the A4 workers into two age groups.)

Galvez said workers aged 40 and up usually take maintenance medicines and they are “vulnerable” to diseases such as COVID-19.

The LGUs may opt to use this prioritization policy, Galvez said.

He added that they simplified the prioritization policy in the A4 group as the LGUs need more flexibility in the vaccination program.

Last May 1, the government had also conducted a symbolic inoculation of around 3,000 overseas Filipino workers and 2,000 workers in celebration of the Labor Day.

Recently, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said at least 35.5 million workers are targeted to be inoculated against COVID-19 after the government simplified the A4 category or the essential workers group.

Last Friday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced that the IATF simplified the A4 category to include all government and private sector workers, informal sector workers, and those who work in private households who need to physically report to work. — RSJ, GMA News

(https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/789249/gov-t-makes-ofws-health-workers-family-members-top-priority-in-covid-19-vaccination-program/story/)