Local governments to decide which A4 workers will get COVID-19 vaccines first— DOH

MANILA — The decision on which economic and state frontliners will be the first in their group to get vaccinated against COVID-19 rests on local government units, the Department of Health said on Wednesday. 

Essential workers belong to "A4," the fourth priority group, which officials said is expected to start receiving COVID-19 shots next month. 

The Philippines expects to receive about 10 million vaccine doses in June, said Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje. 

"Ipa-prioritize ng mga LGU kung sino iyong kailangan nilang unang mga mabakunahan sa ating mga A4," she said in a televised public briefing. 

"We will leave it to the LGU to strategize, sino ba ang most at risk, most vulnerable sa mga A4, depende sa kanilang mga lokalidad." 

(LGUs will prioritize who among our A4 they need to vaccinate first. We will leave it to the LGU to strategize and decide who is most at risk and vulnerable among the A4, depending on their localities.) 

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About 22.4 million essential workers belong to the A4 category, said Cabotaje.

• A4, indigent population vaccination initially limited to Metro Manila, 8 other areas: DOH

This group and about 8.5 million indigents who belong to A5, the fifth priority group, will start getting coronavirus vaccines at the same time. 

• Mga LGU hahayaan sa pagtukoy kung sino-sino ang pasok sa A5 vaccine group
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The Philippines has taken delivery of some 8.279 million COVID-19 shots. Authorities have administered at least 4.305 million of these doses nationwide, as of May 24. 

• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker