The Department of Health on Friday reminded local government units to follow the priority list for COVID-19 vaccinations, warning that allowing line-jumping to "avoid wastage" is prohibited by COVAX, the international alliance that supplied some of the jabs.
Reacting to reports of non-priority individuals who got vaccinated, the DOH said LGUs must stick to their "quick substitution list" should a vaccinee fail to show up on their appointment.
It said the list should still contain names of those belonging to the A1 to A3 categories: health workers, senior citizens, or persons with comorbidities. Baked by the World Health Organization, COVAX seeks to prioritize vulnerable sectors for COVID vaccines.
All of the Philippines' shipments so far of Astrazeneca and Pfizer jabs, which total nearly 3 million in doses combined, came from the global alliance.
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"Para maiwasan po 'yung sinasabi na baka masira kasi nabuksan na, dapat yung quick substitution list, 'yun po yung mga pinakamalapit na barangay maaari o pinakamalapit na mga bahay 'dun sa area ng vaccination sites para isang tawag lang po ay makapunta na agad at hindi masayang," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.
"Atin pong gustong ipaliwanag at ipaalala sa ating LGUs, we have to follow the prioritization framework that we have especially for those COVAX-provided na mga bakuna," she added.
Vergeire said COVAX has warned that the Philippines' future COVID vaccine supply through the facility may be compromised, should incidence of line-jumping persist.
Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, which co-leads the facility with WHO, has also warned against not following priority lists.
"So amin pong hinihikayat at pinapaalalahanan ang ating mga local governments, please use your quick substitution list. [It] should also include A1 to A4 para po hindi po muna tayo mag-jump dun sa ibang sector na hindi pa 'ho nila turn ngayon para makapagpabakuna. Mauna muna po yung mga vulnerable sectors natin," Vergeire said.
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