Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat announced that workers in quarantine and isolation facilities have been placed under the A1 category together with the medical frontliners in the COVID-19 vaccination program.
Puyat said vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said her request for the inclusion of frontline employees in accommodation establishments had been “favorably acted upon.”
The workers were previously under the A4 priority group or those considered essential economic workers.
Puyat said the vaccination of quarantine and isolation facilities workers would start “as soon as possible.”
She said that any vaccine available would be used for quarantine workers.
“Matagal na naming pinaglalaban masama sila sa A1. They are exposed to positive COVID cases every single day,” Puyat added.
Other workers in the tourism industry will fall under the A4 cluster. The rollout in this priority group is seen to start in June, with focus on the NCR+8 areas.
The DOT said a total of 2,507 employees of quarantine hotels nationwide have already been vaccinated.
