Gov't starts vaccination of A4 group covering workers in essential industries

The government has started the vaccination of “economic frontliners” or workers in essential industries in a symbolic vaccination rollout at a Pasay City mall.

The A4 priority group includes workers in essential services in the public and private sector. But Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said that if one is required to go out of one’s house for work, then one is now qualified to get vaccinated.

The government is hoping that the inclusion of the A4 group to the vaccination priority list will help catalyze the country’s flagging economy that has been severely hamstrung by the pandemic.

Trade Secretary Mon Lopez said having more economic workers inoculated is vital to reopening the economy.

“Kapag hindi nagpabakuna, hind tayo makakasulong sa reopening ng ekonomiya (If we don't get vaccinated, we can't reopen the economy),” said Lopez.

IATF chief implement Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the inoculation of the A4 group will be prioritized within NCR Plus 8, which includes Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Batangas, Cebu and Davao. But Galvez said other areas not within NCR Plus 8 can also be allotted their share as long as they have finished vaccinating their A1 to A3 groups, which includes health workers, persons with comorbidities, and senior citizens.

At the ceremonial kickoff in Pasay, the government said around 50 people were vaccinated.

“The vaccination of those from the A4 sector is significant because they make up the backbone of the economy,” said Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano during the kickoff event.

Concurrent with the Pasay event, some local government units have announced the start of their A4 vaccination.

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez announced in a Facebook post that they have also started their A4 vaccination at SM City Sucat.

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco also announced via Facebook the start of their A4 vaccination.

The expansion of the government’s priority list to include the A4 group comes as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases expects 10 million COVID-19 jabs to arrive this June.

Within NCR Plus 8, the government is targeting to inoculate 13 million under the A4 category. Outside of NCR Plus 8, 22.5 million workers will be included for a total of 35.5 million.

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reminded the public that gatherings such as parties are still prohibited under a joint memorandum since early this month by the Department of Justice and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“Tayo po ay nakikiusap sa ating local government units at sa ating publiko na ipinagbabawal pa rin po ang mga pagtitipon gaya ng parties na maaaring maging source ng superspreader events (We are appealing to local government units and to the public that gathering such as parties are still prohibited as these can be superspreader events),” Vergeire said in a briefing today.

(Banner photo: Actress Iya Villania takes a photograph of her husband Drew Arrelano while receiving the Sinovac vaccine being administered by DOH Sec Francisco Duque)