Tourism frontliners now part of priority group for Covid vax
CITY
OF SAN FERNANDO -- Tourism frontliners are now part of the priority group for the COVID-19 vaccination program of the national government.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat disclosed in a virtual presser that tourism frontliners, especially those working at the airport and quarantine hotels, are now included in the Priority Group A.4 based on the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group for COVID-19 Vaccines Resolution No. 1.
“We [ the Department of Tourism] really fought for the inclusion of those working in the sector, especially those who work in the quarantine facilities. We believe that they should really be vaccinated because they don’t know whether those who are quarantined are COVIDpositive or not,” Puyat said.
With this, the Tourism Chief said it is crucial to ensure that they are safe and protected because there is really a risk in performing their jobs.
Aside from those working at the quarantine hotels, Puyat added that those working in restaurants are also part of the priority group since they interact face-to-face with their customers.
“As we see it, the only way to restart tourism is through vaccination of our stakeholders. The good news is that now, people are more receptive and less scared of COVID-19 vaccines so we are hopeful that this is one way for the sector to recover and slowly open up,” she said.
However, Puyat hoped that not only direct tourism frontliners but also those working in the peripherals who rely for tourism as their source of livelihood, would be included in the priority group.
“Tourism is everybody’s business. When tourism is good in an area, even carinderias are frequented by tourists. When tourists roam around a place, they sometimes ride the tricycle or boat. Sometimes, they surf. So we want everyone in the sidelines, including boatmen, tricycle drivers, and surf instructors, among others, to be protected because tourism is primarily a face-to-face business,” she ci t ed.