Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Eric Domingo said around 30% of the public are hesitant to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
In an interview with GMA Network’s Unang Hirit, Domingo should assure the public of the vaccines’ safety and effectiveness.
“Mukhang meron pa rin po talaga. Meron tayong tinatawag na vaccine hesitancy as many as parang 30% of the public, e medyo hindi pa sila sigurado kung gusto nilang magpabakuna,” Domingo said.
“Kailangan po nating ipakita sa kanila at ipadama sa kanila ‘yung safety tsaka ‘yung efficacy data ng mga vaccines tsaka yung kahalagahan ho ng pagbabakuna,” he added.
The FDA chief said the entire population should be vaccinated to eradicate COVID-19. There around 110 million Filipinos, and the government targets to immunize 60 to 70 million people in three to five years.
According to the World Health Organization, 60% to 70% should be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
According to WHO, “‘Herd immunity,’ also known as ‘population immunity,’ is a concept used for vaccination, in which a population can be protected from a certain virus if a threshold of vaccination is reached. Herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus, not by exposing them to it.”
FDA: 30% of public hesitant to receive COVID-19 vaccine
The FDA chief the COVID-19 vaccination should be completely voluntary. He added those who does not like to be immunized should have no liabilities.
“Ang pagpapabakuna ay completely voluntary at tsaka talaga kailangan po may informed consent. Hindi po puwedeng pilitin ang taong magpabakuna kung ayaw po niya,” he added.
Government officials including President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo, and Health Secretary Francisco Duque has previously expressed that they are willing to get vaccinated first to assure the public of the vaccine’s safety.
Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed 66 percent of adult Filipinos are willing to get the Covid-19 vaccine if available now (consisting of 32% definitely would get the vaccine and 34% probably would get the vaccine).
Meanwhile, 31% are unwilling to get the Covid-19 vaccine (consisting of 14% probably would not get the vaccine, and 17% definitely would not get the vaccine).