More frontliners to get vaccine shots first

More frontliners will be prioritized for vaccination against the coronavirus, according to the presidential palace.

Health professionals and nonprofessionals in both private and public facilities such as medical students, nursing aides, janitors, village health workers would also be among the first to be inoculated, presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement on Friday.

Health workers at all COVID-19 dedicated and referral hospitals, state and local government hospitals, military, police and private hospitals would also be among the first to get vaccines shots from Pfizer, Inc. he said.

An inter-agency task force earlier said the Philippines would get about 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines under a global initiative for equal access this quarter.

Senior citizens and people with underlying health conditions would also be prioritized, Mr. Roque said. Essential workers including uniformed personnel and indigents would also get the shots early, he added.

Also listed down the line are teachers and social workers, government and essential workers.

Socio-demographic groups at significantly higher risk other than senior citizens and indigenous people were also listed, as well as migrant Filipino workers. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza