The government pandemic task force has approved the simultaneous vaccination of health workers alongside senior citizens and those with comorbidities under the substitution list.
The vaccination program will be stepped up after President Duterte decided to place Metro Manila and four nearby provinces under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 4 to stem the surging cases of coronavirus. The latest decision was contained in the latest Resolution No. 106 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) issued March 27.
"Ipapatupad na natin ang sabay na pagbabakuna ng mga Priority Group A1, yung mga health care workers natin hanggang sa priority groups ay pinapayagan hanggang Priority Group A2, 'yung ating mga senior citizens at Priority Group A3 o mga mayroon comorbidities sa substitution list (We will implement the simultaneous vaccination of Priority Group A1 or health care workers to succeeding priority groups allowed up to Priority Group A2 or senior citizens and Priority Group A3, those with comorbidities, as quick substitution list),” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said during a televised press briefing Saturday, March 27.
"So yung substitution list, dapat gamitin na yung mga A2 at A3 (So in the substitution list, they must tap the A2 and A3)," he added.
The simultaneous vaccination however would depend on the provision of vaccines to priority groups consistent with the emergency use approval given by Food and Drug Administration and other national guidelines.
The task force also adopted in principle the vaccination of succeeding priority groups when supplies from multipartite agreements arrive in the country. The Department of Health and the vaccine cluster have been directed to develop operational guidelines endorsed by the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group for final approval of the IATF.
Roque said the government would also maximize masterlisting and vaccination of Priority Group A1 that includes workers in frontline services "especially those who are not based in health facilities but provide COVID-19 case management from womb to tomb, screening at borders and points of entry, or management of COVID-19 specimens."
In the vaccine rollout, Roque said the program must be coordinated with the assistance of uniformed personnel, the private sector, and support from other national government agencies.
For the smooth vaccination efforts, concerned authorities must ensure the following:
- Lessen on-site processes through the completion of documentation and screening processes prior to the actual date of vaccination;
- Designate and utilize larger vaccination sites as necessary, with observance of the respective allowed capacities of such sites;
- Maintain minimum public health standards particularly on physical distancing measures;
- Relegate administrative and ministerial functions to non-healthcare workers to reduce workload of healthcare workers during actual inoculation dates;
- Maximize business processes to ramp up the vaccination program such as but not limited to the following: marketing, organizing, managing manpower, and employing responsive Information and Communications System (ICT) solutions; and
-Ensure continuous vaccination activities even during the observance of the holidays.
The government started the vaccine rollout early this month, prioritizing health workers since they are at most risk of infection. The immunization was initiated following the arrival of over 1.2 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, mosty donated by China and the COVAX facility.
An additional 1 million Sinovac vaccine doses, procured by the government, are expected to arrive in Manila this Monday.