MANILA – It is still possible for “influencers” to be given priority in receiving coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) jabs when the next batch of vaccine doses is delivered to the country, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
In an interview with Radio Mindanao Network, Roque said the proposal to inoculate around 50 influencers ahead of other Filipinos was rejected since the Philippines only has a limited supply of Covid-19 vaccines.
“Siguro kasi 600,000 pa lang ang dumarating eh hindi pa po pinayagan. Pero tingnan po natin. Baka naman kapag dumating na ang mas maraming supply, baka matuloy pa rin po ‘yung ating proposal (Perhaps, it was not allowed because we only have 600,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine. But let’s see. Our proposal might be approved, once we receive more supply),” Roque said.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases earlier proposed to reserve vaccine shots for influencers to boost public confidence in vaccines.
The influencers, Roque said on Tuesday, included him and other government officials, media personalities, and movie personalities.
However, the interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNITAG) rejected the proposal, saying the vaccines must be given to frontline healthcare workers.
The iNITAG only approved the priority vaccination of Covid-19 vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., Covid-19 testing czar Vivencio Dizon, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chief Banjamin Abalos Jr.
Galvez, Dizon, and Abalos were all vaccinated on Monday, the first day of the government’s free immunization drive.
It was President Rodrigo Duterte who ordered Galvez and Dizon to receive the vaccine shots, while Abalos represented all Manila mayors.
Roque said the IATF-EID has yet to identify the influencers who will be included in the government’s Covid-19 vaccination priority list.
“Hindi pa naman alam kung [sinu]-sino iyon. Para lang ‘yung mga personalidad na sa tingin namin kapag nabakunahan ay makakatulong sa pagtaas ng kumpiyansa ‘no (We have yet to identify the other influencers. They may be those personalities who we think can help boost public confidence in vaccines),” he said.
The Philippines kicked off its mass Covid-19 vaccination drive on Monday, a day after receiving China-donated 600,000 doses of CoronaVac vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm, Sinovac Biotech.
The first day of the government’s national Covid-19 vaccination program turned out to be “very successful,” Roque said on Tuesday.
The Philippines is set to receive around 487,200 Covid-19 vaccines from United Kingdom's AstraZeneca on Thursday night. (PNA)
