(UPDATE)—The vaccination of essential workers under the A4 classification will begin when supplies arrive next month, the National Task Force against COVID-19 said Thursday.
Some 3,000 Filipino migrant workers and 2,000 minimum wage earners will get inoculated on Labor Day, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said.
"Magkakaroon po ng symbolic inoculation nitong Mayo Uno bilang pagpupugay sa ating essential workers atsaka manggagawa," NTF spokesman Restituto Padilla told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
(There will be a symbolic inoculation on Labor Day to celebrate our essential workers.)
"Susunod na din po pagpasok ng mga bakunang supply na inangkat natin sa ibang bansa ay magpapatuloy sabay-sabay ang A1 hanggang A4. Ito po ang gagawin natin sa buwan ng Mayo."
(The inoculation of A1 to A4 will be simultaneous when additional vaccine supplies arrive. This is what we're going to do for the month of May.)
The country is expecting an "accelerated delivery" of COVID-19 vaccines beginning next month even as global production of the jabs is seen to stabilize only in June, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez earlier said.
"Pagpasok ng supply nitong darating na Hunyo at sa Hulyo, dadagdag na rin dyan ang iba pang nasa A5 list o yung ating indigents," Padilla said.
(When supplies arrive in June and July, those in the 15 list or the indigents will be inoculated.)
Meanwhile, workers should be educated about COVID-19 vaccines, as uncertainty to get the jabs remain among their ranks, said Defend Jobs Philippines spokesman Christian Lloyd Magsoy.
"Kailangan i-ensure na i-educate sila sa kahalagahan ng bakuna. Pangalawa, maraming tanong ang mga manggagawa natin, ito ba ay libre? Paano kung maapektuhan kami ng adverse effects, sinong magpapagamot sa amin?" Magsoy said.
(We need to ensure they are educated on the importance of vaccines. Second, they have many questions, such as if the vaccine is free, who will take care of them if they feel any adverse effects?)
"Medyo alangan pa sila sa efficacy rate ng mga bakunang mayroon tayo."
(They are uneasy about the efficacy rate of vaccines we have.)
Meanwhile, those who have received their first COVID-19 dose are urged to complete their vaccination using the same brand, said Dr. Nina Gloriani, head of government's vaccine expert panel.
"Ang mas mabuti maka-2 doses kasi after the first dose ang level ng antibody niyo hindi pa yun sufficient para maprotektahan kayo . . . Hindi makukuha (ang protection level) until after 2 or 4 weeks after the second dose," Gloriani said.
(It's better to get 2 doses because after the first dose your antibody level is still insufficient. You won't get the ideal protection until after 2 or 4 weeks after the second dose.)
"Tapusin muna natin yung first series na binigay. Hindi rin natin alam ang duration of immunity ng mga bakunang ito. Siguro by end of this year, malalaman natin. Hintayin na rin ang updated vaccines na kasama ang variant of concerns. 'Wag tayo magmadali."
(Let us be done with the initial series of vaccines first. We don't know the duration of immunity of these vaccines. We will probably know by the end of the year. Let's also wait for the updated vaccines, which include protection against variant of concerns. Let's not rush it.)
The panel is still studying the possibility of mixing COVID-19 vaccines, Gloriani added.
The Philippines has administered 1.7 million doses of coronavirus jabs as of Sunday. It aims to inoculate a third of its population or 50 to 70 million by end of the year to achieve herd immunity.
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