Deputy Speaker and Bagong Henerasyon Partylist Rep. Bernadette Herrera wants Sinovac vaccines for novel coronavirus (COVID 19) exclusively allocated for the country’s 2.7 million uniformed personnel and members of their families
In a press statement released Monday, February 14, Herrera also batted for inclusion of retired military, police, fire and jail personnel in the priority list for Sinovac vaccines.
“By exclusively allocating the Sinovac supply to them, we will ensure herd immunity within their specific demographic or population segment of up to 2.7 million strong,” she said.
Herrera stated: “I suggest to the IATF and DOH that all Sinovac vaccines to be available this year and next year be prioritized for our soldiers, police, BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection); BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Coast Guard, as well as their families and retired officers and civilian personnel.”
The House official backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to give members of the military and public order and security services enough supply of the COVID 19 vaccine.
Several members of the Presidential Security Group have already had their COVID 19 jabs reportedly sourced from another Chinese supplier, Sinopharm.
The other day the Food and Drugs Administration issued a compassionate use license for 10,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by another Chinese firm, Sinopharm for the rest of the PSG personnel and others in the military service.
Under the prioritization list for COVID 19 vaccine that was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, uniformed personnel belong to Priority Group A4, a step ahead of indigent persons.
Priority A1 covers frontline health workers in both private and government facilities. Also included in this group are health professionals and non-professionals like students, nursing aides, janitors and barangay health workers.
Second in the list are senior citizens , followed by persons with co-morbidities under Priority Group A3. Not included in the first five priority groups are the family members of uniformed personnel. Neither are close relatives of health workers, senior citizens and and persons with co-morbidities.