Apart from pharmacists and midwives, some medical students should be considered as vaccinators of the coronavirus vaccines, presidential spokesman Harry Roque suggested Monday.
Roque admitted that the government would need many health personnel to administer the vaccination of millions of Filipinos this year in the fight against the coronavirus.
"Tama po 'yan dahil alam natin na 50 to 70 million ang target natin sa taong ito ay talagang kinakailangan natin ng lalong pang mas maraming magbibigay ng bakuna (That's right since we are targeting to vaccinate 50 to 70 million people this year, we really need more people who will administer the vaccines)," Roque said during a televised press briefing.
Roque noted that the Philippines should consider emulating the United States which has tapped nursing and dental students for the vaccination drive.
He noted that his two relatives who are studying nursing and dentistry have been tapped as frontliners in the United States.
"Ang isa nursing student, ‘yung isa dental student, so pati mga dental students kinokonsidera na rin as frontliner for purposes of vaccination. Sa Amerika po ‘yan na dapat gawin din natin dito (One is a nursing student, another is a dental student so dental students are also considered frontliners for purposes of vaccination. That's in America that we should also implement here)," he said.
With the anticipated rollout of the vaccines this year, the Department of Health is reportedly studying the possibility of tapping pharmacists and midwives to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to people.
Only doctors and nurses are currently allowed to conduct the vaccination in the country.
The country's first batch of coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer and Sinovac will start arriving next month.
The government plans to prioritize health workers, senior citizens, the poor and vulnerable population, and uniformed personnel in the immunization campaign.