All you need to know about COVID-19 vaccine and its prioritization

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You want to get vaccine against COVID-19 yet you don't know how to? Here a brief guide on how you can get vaccinated and what are the things you need to know before doing so.

When will the COVID-19 vaccines be available to me?

The government is currently in the initial phase of vaccine rollout with the availability of Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sputnik V vaccines in the country. Likewise, the country is in the advanced stages of negotiations with the COVAX Facility and various other vaccine manufacturers.

The national government is working in partnership with our local governments to get the vaccines to you. Your local government unit will arrange for the registration and scheduling of vaccination.

COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization Framework

The prioritization framework for COVID-19 vaccination based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization, together with the recommendations of independent bodies of experts including the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNITAG) and the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), was formulated due to the limited global supply of COVID-19 vaccine products. With the guidance of this principle, the Philippine National Deployment and Vaccination Plan formulated strategies and contingencies to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccine products for all Filipinos.

With the initial limited supply, frontline health workers and uniformed personnel are prioritized since they have higher risk of exposure while on duty and to allow them to continue fulfilling their duties in both the public and private sectors. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the indigent population, are prioritized guided by the principle of equity.

The priority population groups for COVID-19 immunization are as follows:

Group A

A1. Frontline workers in health facilities both national and local, public and private, health professionals and non-professionals like students in health and allied professions courses with clinical responsibilities, nursing aides, janitors, barangay health workers, etc.;

A1.1 COVID-19 referral hospitals

A1.2 Hospitals catering to COVID-19 cases

A1.3 Quarantine/isolation facilities

A1.4 Remaining hospitals

A1.5 Government-owned community-based primary care facilities

A1.6 Remaining healthcare facilities (thru LGU)

A1.7 Closed healthcare institutions (such as nursing homes)

A2. Senior citizens;

A3. Adults with comorbidities;

A4. Frontline personnel in essential sectors both public and private, including uniformed personnel, and those working in sectors identified by the IATF that are directly client facing and cannot dutifully meet minimum public health standards; and

A5. Poor population based on National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR)

Group B

B1. Teachers, social workers;

B2. Other government workers;

B3. Other essential workers;

B4. Socio-demographic groups at significantly higher risk other than senior citizens and poor population based on NHTS-PR;

B5. Overseas Filipino Workers; and

B6. Other remaining workforce

Group C:

Rest of the Filipino population not otherwise included in preceding groups

REGISTRATION AND MASTERLIST

All Filipinos will need to be masterlisted with their full health profile prior to vaccination. But the first phase will involve all frontline health workers in the public and private sector. The schedule of masterlisting will be consistent with the ordering of prioritization in the National Vaccine Deployment Plan.

To prepare the country for the COVID-19 vaccination program, a masterlist will: (1) provide basis for identification of target eligible groups for vaccination and identification of priority areas for registration of eligible individuals; (2) ensure uniqueness of individuals in the vaccine administration plan; and (3) provide input to operational planning especially for costing and allocation of resources.

WHAT PLATFORM WILL BE USED FOR THE MASTERLIST?

The COVID-19 Vaccine Information Management System - Immunization Registry (VIMS-IR) shall be the official platform for masterlisting and pre-registration of individuals for COVID-19 vaccination. The VIMS platform shall also enable use of information and communications technology for scheduling, notification, and vaccination reminders.

WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED?

Personal information, such as but not limited to full name, birthday, and PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN), shall be collected to ensure no doubling of identified potential vaccine recipients. Health data will also be collected to help your vaccination team assess your eligibility for the vaccine.

The LGU or zones will determine the scheduling for vaccination. The Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS) platform shall be used for scheduling, notifying, and reminding individuals of their scheduled vaccination.

For more information, please visit DOH's guide for COVID-19 vaccine.