Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. vowed Thursday that politics would play no role in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, which the government targets to conduct next year, a year before the 2022 national and local elections.
“We will ensure na hindi po magiging pulitika ito dahil we want to save lives at saka ‘yung ating economy,” Galvez, also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.
“Yun po ang pinaka-primary focus ng vaccine natin, na manumbalik po ang ating normalcy sa ating pamumuhay tsaka maka-recover nang husto ang ating economy,” he said.
“So, hindi po natin gagamitin ito kung saan man sa pulitika kasi I think that’s immoral.”
Galvez announced Wednesday that over 35 million Filipinos would be prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Galvez said the COVID-19 vaccine priority list was endorsed by the Department of Health (DOH) and was crafted with the guidance of President Rodrigo Duterte.
As a strategy, the vaccine czar said the immunization would start in areas most affected and those considered business centers.
Galvez said the areas include the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.
No politics in COVID-19 vaccine distribution – Galvez
He also said earlier the Philippine government plans to give COVID-19 vaccines to 20 up to 30 million Filipinos annually within five years.
He said that the government aims to vaccinate 60 million to 70 million Pinoys in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will do this in a three to five years period kasi po kaya lang natin mapa-vaccinate is more or less 20 to 30 million a year,” Galvez said.
“At the same time, titingnan po natin talaga rin na kung alin po ang safe at effective na vaccine,” he added.
For the best-case scenario, he said the mass vaccination would be launched either by the second quarter of 2021 or by the middle of 2021.
“Though, meron tayong clinical trial this coming December. Inaasahan po natin ‘yung mga result kasi ng regulatory board natin sa Food and Drug Administration baka matapos po ‘yun first quarter,’” he added.
Meanwhile, for the worst-case scenario, Galvez added that the mass vaccination would start by the end of 2021 or early 2022.