Duterte wants faster vaccination of health workers

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said health workers must “look for a way to have the vaccine ahead of time” so the government can proceed to giving the doses to the rest of the population.

In his weekly public address, Duterte said he wants a faster inoculation of medical workers to start the vaccination of senior citizens and persons with comorbidities.

“‘Yang mga health workers, kailangan bilisan na. They must go now. They must look for a way to have the vaccine ahead of time,” the president said.

“‘Wag nila tagalan kasi nakahintay ‘yong sunod, itong senior citizens. Kailangan mabilisan. Pagdating ng bakuna, nandiyan na sila,” he added.

Under the government’s prioritization list, the vaccination rollout in the country will start with frontline health workers, followed by indigent senior citizens, persons with comorbidities, remaining senior citizens, remaining indigent population, and uniformed personnel.

Duterte said those under the first three categories can be “lumped into one” so the government can move on to the rest of the population.

Meanwhile, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the vaccination of senior citizens will begin on April 1.

Citing experts, Galvez also said the vaccination should be concentrated in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“Sabi ng experts, we are racing against time dahil mabilis ang virus at ang variants. Kailangan i-concentrate sa Metro Manila at karatig area kasi kung hindi, maraming mamamatay na elderly at may comorbidities.

Over 656,000 people in the Philippines have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of March 27, the Department of Health said.—LDF, GMA News