IATF OKs guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine trials

September 7, 2020

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the mechanics on how to conduct the trial for the coronavirus disease vaccines, including the assignment of "trial zones."

Resolution No. 68, which the IATF approved on September 3, said that the World Health Organization Solidarity Trial shall be prioritized in the assignment of the trial zones.

"This notwithstanding, independent trials should nonetheless be considered in such a way that they will not be deprived of trial sites," it said.

The vaccine recipients under the WHO ST will be recruited from the top 5-10 barangays reporting high COVID-19 cases, based on the attack rates per 1000 population per barangay.

IATF said the data will come from the Department of Health-Epidemiology Bureau.

The trial sites will be at the barangay level, and randomization will be by households while the household census will be obtained from the barangay/s to identify residents to ensure follow up, IATF said.

"Transient residents will be discouraged unless they can show proof that they will be staying in the area or the trial site for the next two years," it said.

For the independent clinical trials by private vaccine companies, it said they will also be assigned to avoid competition.

In case there are outbreak situations, the task force said the WHO ST Vaccine teams can move into the affected barangays provided that no independent clinical trial is going on or is being conducted at such time.

In such case, the next most adjacent barangay may be considered for the WHO ST vaccine teams, it said.

"To address shortfalls in recruitment by specific barangays, the deficit can be taken over by other barangays with faster recruitment to meet the total target sample size, " IATF said.

In the same resolution, the IATF encouraged the local government units to provide their constituents with face shields, subject to availability of funds, and giving priority to members of the vulnerable population.

It also allowed student athletes of collegiate athletic associations as defined under Republic Act No. 10676 or the Student-Athletes Protection Act to resume their preparatory trainings in areas under general community quarantine and modified general community quarantine, subject to guidelines as may be issued by the Commission on Higher Education. Celerina Monte/DMS