LIST: Who are in the A4 priority group for COVID-19 vaccination?

by Gaea Katreena Cabico (Philstar.com), 12 Apr 2021

MANILA, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority identified the sectors included in the A4 priority group—or frontline personnel in essential sectors—for COVID-19 vaccination in a list released Monday.

Sectors part of the A4 priority group will be next in line for inoculation after health workers (A1), senior citizens (A2) and people with co-morbidities (A3).

In a briefing, NEDA Undersecretary Rose Edillon said the A4 priority group is composed of those working in sectors that have “high levels of interaction with or exposure to the public” and economic sectors that are needed to ensure security, consumers and worker safety.

Those working in priority government projects are also included in A4.

Here is the list of sectors part of the A4 priority group:
A4.1 – Commuter transport (land, air and sea), including logistics
A4.2 – Frontline government workers in justice, security, transport social protection sectors
A4.3 – Public and private wet and dry market ventdors; frontline workers in grocery, supermarkets; delivery services
A4.4 – Workers in manufacturing for food, beverage, medical and pharmaceutical products
A4.5 – Frontline workers in food retail, including food service delivery
A4.6 – Frontline government workers
A4.7 – Frontline workers in financial services
A4.8 – Teaching and related personnel in medical and allied medical courses of higher education institutions, including personnel handling laboratories
A4.9 – Frontline workers in hotels and accommodation
A4.10 – Priests, pastors, religious leaders regardless of denomination
A4.11 – Construction workers in government infrastructure projects
A4.12 – Security guards or personnel assigned in the establishments, offices, agencies, and organizations identified in these priority sectors
A4.13 – Overseas Filipino workers not classified above, and scheduled for deployment within two months

The list has been approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease, Edillon said. The National Immunization Technical Advisory Group is developing “detailed guidelines.”

What should establishments, agencies do?

Establishments, agencies and organizations (EAOs) shall issue certificates of A4 eligibility to their employees who belong to the subgroup, Edillon said.

She added EAOs must adopt a schedule system for their workers, taking into consideration possible adverse reactions that may be experienced by vaccine recipients, and provide logistical support such as transportation to facilitate the vaccination of their employees.

When will those in A4 receive COVID-19 shots?

Edillon said the inoculation of the A4 priority group can begin by May but that is the “best-case scenario.” The timeline can be even pushed back to June, July and August.

Over a million COVID-19 shots have been administered since the immunization drive began last month. But the Philippines faces a lack of available vaccines as infections rise.

Only two vaccines are being used in the inoculation program—those developed by China’s Sinovac and British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca. Other jabs eyed by the country have not yet arrived.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said in February that the “major rollout” will only start in the third quarter of the year at the earliest.

Why are media workers not included in A4?

“As per the recovery cluster, we looked at those who cannot work from home, those who cannot have their own bubble,” Edillon said. The NEDA official said it is up to the IATF to decide whether or not media workers will be included in the A4 priority group.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said media workers will be part of the B classification, which includes other workers in the country.