Some executives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Thursday they are willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in public to alleviate the public’s fear of getting the vaccine.
“If I can wait, then I’ll wait for a good vaccine. But if the situation really like it is now, you cannot wait for a better vaccine, I would take any vaccine offered,” Valles said.
Citing the advice of molecular biologist and moral theologian Father Nicanor Austriaco, the archbishop said COVID-19 vaccines with a 50% efficacy rate are still beneficial as they lower the chances of getting hospitalized.
He added the inoculation was discussed during CBCP members’ plenary assembly.
Meanwhile, CBCP vice president Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David said that Austriaco urged the bishops to get vaccinated in public to increase the public’s confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
“Father Austriaco encouraged the bishops to allow themselves to be vaccinated publicly perhaps even on television so that we can encourage people and remove their fears of vaccination. This is really going to be very helpful for us as a country,” he said.
“It is important to depoliticize vaccines that we listen to our scientists and what their advice would be,” he added.
CBCP officials willing to get vaccinated in public
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier noted the impact of religious groups in encouraging Filipinos to get vaccinated.
“Napakalaking advantage po ‘yun dahil alam po natin napaka-impluwensya ng ating mga religious (sector) and it will give more confidence to our people to take the vaccines,” Galvez said.
According to a survey conducted by OCTA Research, only 25% of Metro Manila residents want to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, a Pulse Asia survey showed that 47% of Filipinos were not willing to get a COVID-19 jab, mostly due to safety reasons.
World Health Organization experts said that 65% to 70% of the population need to get vaccinated to reach herd immunity from COVID-19.