IATF approves priority population groups for vaccination
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has adopted a resolution for the priority groups for vaccination against coronavirus disease, Malacanang said on Friday.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the resolution was prepared by the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNATAG) and the Department of Health Technical Advisory Group (DOH-TAG).
The priority groups for vaccination are the following:
A1: Frontline workers in health facilities both national and local, private and public, health professionals and non-professionals like students, nursing aides, janitors, barangay health workers, etc.
A2: Senior citizens aged 60 years old and above
A3: Persons with comorbidities not otherwise included in the preceding categories
A4: Frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel and those in working sectors identified by the IATF as essential during enhanced community quarantine
A5: Indigent population not otherwise included in the preceding categories
B1: Teachers, Social Workers
B2: Other Government Workers
B3: Other essential workers
B4: Socio-demographic groups at significantly higher risk other than senior citizens and indigenous people
B5: Overseas Filipino Workers
B6: Other Remaining Workforce
C: Rest of the Filipino population not otherwise included in the above groups
Roque, quoting the iNITAG, also said that any specific inclusion and exclusion criteria of each vaccine, as reflected in the respective Emergency Use Authorization of the Food and Drug Administration, or recommendations from the Health Technology Assessment Council shall be considered.
In choosing areas for sub-prioritization, he said, "it will be based on COVID-19 burden of disease (these are the current active cases, attack rate per 100,000 population in the past 4 weeks, and population density); and vaccination site and/or Local Government Unit readiness, particularly, its supply chain capability."
Regarding the allocation of the first tranche of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for healthcare workers, the framework to be followed are COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, COVID-19 referral hospitals, DOH-owned hospitals, LGU hospitals, hospitals for uniforme dpersonnel, and private hospitals.
The government is expecting the initial doses of Pfizer BioNTech and AstreZeneca to arrive in the country this month.
So far, only these two pharmaceutical companies have secured the FDA's approval for EUA in the country.
The FDA and vaccine experts are still processing the requests for EUA by other COVID-19 manufacturers. Celerina Monte/DMS
