The Philippine government has placed outbound overseas Filipino workers and family members of health workers in the A1 or top priority group in its COVID-19 vaccination drive, Malacañang announced on Friday, May 28.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) formalized the decision through Resolution No. 117.

“The IATF likewise recategorized to Priority Group A1 outbound overseas Filipino workers for deployment within the next four months from the intended date of vaccination,” said Roque in a televised announcement.

Meanwhile, “immediate family members” of healthcare workers have also been included in the A1 grouping and will be attended to “once vaccine supply becomes available,” said Roque.

In the same announcement, Roque laid out new specifications of economic frontliners under the A4 group who would be eligible for vaccination. The government is preparing to vaccinate this sector, numbering around 12 million people, in June.

Earlier, the task force moved up vaccine priority for athletes and coaches bound for the Tokyo Olympics and Southeast Asian Games. – Rappler.com