Press Release
May 23, 2021

Amid ongoing vaccine rollout, Bong Go emphasizes importance of complying with priority order and warns against complacency after inoculation

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Thursday, May 20, stressed the importance of complying with the government's vaccine priority list given the limited global supply of COVID-19 doses.

Asked if students may be considered as part of the priority groups, Go said that it is something that may be recommended to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 but may not be advisable per guidelines of the World Health Organization-led COVAX Facility.

"Pwede rin po i-recommend natin at pag-aaralan po ito ng NTF about the students kasi marami po 'yan. Pero s'yempre, 18 years old and above, 'yun pa rin po ang babakunahan sa ngayon. 'Yun po ang kasunduan ng COVAX. May edad na sinusunod, priority list. Darating din tayo d'yan," explained Go during the launch of the 113th Malasakit Center at the San Pablo City General Hospital in San Pablo City, Laguna.

"Kung ako lang ang masusunod, kung sobra-sobra naman ang bakuna natin, bakit hindi? Importante din po ang mga estudyante para unti-unti na silang makabalik sa kanilang pag-aaral. Pero kailangan muna nating sundin ang priority list dahil limitado po ang bakuna. Bagama't may dumarating, we are 110 million Filipinos. Ang bakuna po na dumarating ay wala pang ten million kaya pinagkakasya pa po ito sa lahat ng nasa priority list," he added.

WHO recommends the strict allocation of scarce vaccines to healthcare workers who are caring for COVID-19 patients, elderlies, and individuals with comorbidities.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself emphasized and instructed concerned agencies and local authorities to comply with the vaccination priority list, says Go. He, however, shared that the vaccination drive may soon be opened to A4 and A5 groups.

"Nasabi na ito ni Pangulong Duterte. Dapat walang piliin. Sumunod tayo sa priority list kung sino po ang nasa A1, A2, A3. Hintayin n'yo lang po, sa susunod na buwan o soon, bubuksan na ang A4. Mga essential workers, delivery riders, under A4 po 'yan. Ang mga indigents po under A5 ay susunod na rin po," shared Go.

"Pero sabi ni Pangulo, dapat walang pilian kasi kawawa naman po ang mahihirap nating mga kababayan kung magpipilian tayo. Dapat kung ano ang nandiyan, magpabakuna na tayo," he added.

To further encourage more Filipinos to get vaccinated, Go also expressed his support to avoid granting preferences on choosing vaccine brands in order not to delay the rollout.

"Nandiyan ang bakuna, ubusin muna. First come, first out. Ito ang unang dumating, ito ang ubusin. Importante rito, walang masayang, walang ma-expire," said Go.

"Kung ayaw pa, balikan na lang ang ayaw, Dapat pagpasok, deploy, turok. Dapat walang masayang. Maayos po ang sistema dapat ng gobyerno and, of course, storage po na walang masira dahil iba't ibang bakuna, iba't ibang handling po ang procedure. 'Yung handling po rito napaka-importante po," he added.

Meanwhile, amid proposals of providing vaccination pass to those who have been vaccinated, Go said that he will support it if it promotes the welfare of Filipinos. He, however, emphasized that such passes must not be used as an excuse to become complacent against the virus.

"Ako naman po, alam n'yo kung ano ang makatutulong sa ating kapwa Pilipino, pabor po ako rito. Pero hindi po ito dapat gamiting rason para maging kampante po tayo dahil hangga't nandiyan pa po ang COVID-19 kahit bakunado na tayo, hindi tayo nakasisiguro dahil bago itong sakit na ito," he said, highlighting the importance of achieving herd immunity for the entire country.

"Ang importante rito ay ma-achieve natin o ma-attain ang herd immunity sa community. Ibig sabihin, mawawala na rin dapat o maglaho na ang sakit para 'di na kumalat. So, it doesn't mean na bakunado na tayo at meron kayong vaccine pass ay kampante na tayo," he added.

Earlier, the Department of Health said that it is not in favor of providing "vaccine passes" to vaccinated individuals as there is still not enough evidence to say that they may no longer get sick or transmit the virus.

Go, then, assured the public that more supplies of vaccines will arrive in the country over the rest of the month and in June.

"Sa mga susunod na araw ngayong Mayo, marami pa po ang darating at sabi nina Secretary (Carlito) Galvez, sa Hunyo, mas marami pa," he said.

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