PH Forms Task Group For COVID-19 Vaccination Program

The Philippines formed a task group for COVID-19 vaccination program

Malacañang on Friday announced that the Philippines had formed a task group in preparation for its COVID-19 vaccination program.

Photo Source: GMA News Online

Citing Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID)’s decision on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the COVID-19 Immunization Program Management Organizational Structure was under the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and was headed by the Department of Health (DOH).

According to Roque, the Department of Health had been directed to immediately convene the Task Group COVID-19 Immunization Management and to establish sub-task groups as necessary.

He also said that the creation of a Task Force was to ensure the efficient and successful deployment of COVID-19 vaccines to target population.

The government planned to vaccinate around 20 million Filipinos for free. However, the government would give priority to the poor, policemen, and soldiers.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said that he would give preference to the vaccines being developed by China and Russia because other countries allegedly asked for advance payment.

READ ALSO: President Duterte Prefers COVID-19 Vaccine From Russia, China vs Other Companies

The President also said that he wanted a government-to-government deal for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

Roque earlier said that the government needed to establish a cold chain as COVID-19 vaccines should be stored at sub-zero temperatures.

With this, Chinese pharmaceutical companies involved in developing a COVID-19 vaccine had also asked that the Philippines should be ready with adequate cold chain storage facilities.

Both the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Palace assured the public that the government had funds for cold storage facilities.

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