(UPDATED) Fifty individuals from priority group A4 were inoculated Monday, June 7, 2021, to mark the start of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign among an estimated 13 million workers in the NCR Plus 8.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in a recorded message, said this marks a major milestone in the government’s battle against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The government kicked off its vaccination campaign against Covid-19 on March 1, 2021, for medical workers, who make up priority group A1.

“With the start of our mass vaccination for the A4 priority category, our workers in both public and private sectors will have an added layer of protection against the disease,” Duterte said.

Group A4 consists of:

• Private sector workers required to be physically present at their designated workplace outside of their residences;
• Employees of government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations, and local government units; and
• Informal sector workers and self-employed who may be required to work outside their residences, and those working in private households.