Gov’t allows COVID-19 priority vaccination of athletes joining Tokyo Olympics, SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s task force leading the COVID-19 response has allowed priority vaccination for COVID-19 of athletes and coaches participating in the Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Malacañang announced Friday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) gave its approval on the recommendation of the technical working group (TWG) of the interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNITAG)

Also included in the priority vaccination are delegates and officials who are also going to the two events, he added.

“Inaprubahan ng iyong IATF ang rekomendasyon ng TWG sa iNITAG na nagrekomenda na bigyang prayoridad ang pagbabakuna ng mga atleta, coaches, mga delegado, at mga opisyal na aalis papuntang Tokyo Olympics at Southeast Asian Games,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(The IATF approved the recommendation of the TWG to the iNITAG to give priority to the vaccination of athletes, coaches, delegates and officials bound for the Tokyo Olympics and the Southeast Asian Games.)

The Olympics to be held in Tokyo, Japan is set to start on July 23 this year while the 2021 SEA Games will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam from November 21 to December 2.

/MUF