COVID-19 jabs for general population to depend on supply —Palace

The government task force addressing the COVID-19 pandemic will meet on Thursday to discuss the vaccination of general population that is set to start next month, Malacañang said Thursday.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said vaccination of general population against COVID-19 will still depend on vaccine supply.

"Ang detalye ay hihimay-himayin ngayong Thursday sa IATF meeting mamayang alas dos, pero inaasahan natin na kapag sinabi natin na general population, siyempre po meron munang ilang lugar na magsisimula kasi depende rin 'yan sa supply availability," he said.

(The details will be discussed by the IATF in a meeting on Thursday at 2 p.m., but we expect that when you say general population, the vaccination will start only in several areas first because it depends on the availability of vaccines.)

Roque mentioned Pfizer's vaccine, which he said could only be brought to areas with cold storage facilities.

IATF refers to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the government's policy-making body in its COVID-19 response.

On Tuesday, Roque announced that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the vaccination of general population, as well as minors, against COVID-19 starting October.

During the UB interview, Roque said the vaccination was approved "in principle."

As for minors, or those aged 12 years to 17, Roque said priority would be given to those with comorbidities.

"Sa ngayon ay pinapa-masterlisting na natin ang ating mga kabataan, ang ating mga bagets, para kapag full blast na ang mga kabataan nandiyan na ang ating listahan," he said.

(For now we are encouraging master-listing so that a list would be ready when the vaccination of minors becomes full blast.)

Meanwhile, Roque also said in the same Thursday afternoon meeting, the IATF would also discuss whether or not to extend the Alert Level 4 being implemented in Metro Manila.

Alert Level 4 — the second highest in the government's new five-tiered alert level system — in Metro Manila will expire on September 30. —KBK, GMA News