More accessible, efficient vaccination program pushed

MANILA, Philippines — The ramped-up campaign for COVID-19 vaccination should be done in a more orderly and efficient manner by lessening waiting time of queues and setting up smaller inoculation sites, Sen. Bong Go said.

The Department of Health can spread out vaccination centers to make the sites more accessible to villages and smaller residential clusters, Go said in a statement.

This "will avoid overcrowding in existing vaccination centers and will prevent the further spread of COVID-19," Go said, adding that this is safer than having people wait in overcrowded venues and queue inside malls.

“LGUs and DOH must maximize available facilities, volunteers, doctors and nurses to speed up an orderly inoculation. Sabi nga ng Pangulo noon, dalhin dapat ang bakuna sa pinaka-mahihirap at pinaka-malalayong mga lugar,” he said.

He added that Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases should communicate clearer guidelines on the vaccine line, priority list and eligibility.

"I will clarify sa IATF kung anong mga guidelines at polisiya, saan kayo lalapit para mabakunahan na at tuloy-tuloy ang ating roll-out," Go said.

He also supported the IATF's April 15 resolution which declares media workers as part of the priority list under A4 category. Also in this grouping are workers in sectors considered essential such as transportation, supermarkets and the food industry.