THE Department of Health (DOH) said that they would prioritize healthcare workers, especially dermatologists, when the first few doses of the vaccine against the mpox virus comes in.

According to DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, it is usually the frontliners who are at risk as they work with patients that have skin conditions which may be infectious.

He said that dermatologists should likewise be given priority since they deal with skin conditions.

“Nakikita namin this early na ang uunahin is ‘yung mga frontliners at ‘pag sinabing frontliners, ang pinag-uusapan natin ay ‘yung mga dermatologists,” he said.

“When that time comes at meron na tayong makukuhang mpox vaccine, ang unang bibigyan natin is ‘yung mga humaharap sa pasyente na may mpox kasi hindi sila puwedeng mahawa dahil sila ‘yung unang panangga natin,” he added. 

On the other hand, Domingo noted that among the next group in the hierarchy that will receive the vaccine are the “key populations.”

“Depende ‘yan sa datos na makikita natin. Ngayon nasa case number 10 tayo…pero based on epidemiology, bibilangin natin at titignan natin ano ba ang mga characteristic? Ano ba ‘yung mga behaviors? Saan ba nila nakukuha? At ‘yun uunahin nating bigyan,” he said. 

Likewise, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa noted that the Philippines is in the process of getting 2,000 doses of mpox vaccines that have been offered to the country.

The DOH said the current priority for the vaccination in the world is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where mpox transmission is highest.