By Christine Fabro
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that the vaccination rollout for the priority group A4, the third pillar of the government’s recovery strategy, is timely for the gradual re-opening of the economy and the country’s recovery.
The NEDA Chief Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said on Friday (June 18) that the 30 million doses of vaccines set to arrive in the next two months can help cover a significant number of the 33 million workers throughout the country in the A4 priority group who have yet to receive their first dose.
“I encourage everyone to get vaccinated. It is really about caring for yourselves and your families and friends. It will allow us to open the economy more and bring back some of the joys that we missed over the past one and a half years,” Chua said.
Vaccination of the expanded A4 priority group, which includes the members of the informal sector, has begun, following the issuance of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ Resolution No. 117.
Chua said that NEDA’s priority is the total health of the people – whether from COVID-19, non-COVID-19 illnesses, or hunger. –rir
