President Duterte could boost public confidence in COVID-19 jab, says vaccine czar

DAVAO CITY — The government has already started its information drive to boost the public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. told President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday.

During a meeting in Davao City, Galvez underscored the importance of an information drive noting the President can help convince people to get inoculated.

As the country gears towards rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine, encouraging people to get the shot posed a challenge, Galvez said, blaming misinformation by anti-vaxxers on social media and the reported adverse effects of some vaccine brands being administered abroad.

“Ito po ang medyo may problema po tayo na talagang dapat po pagtulungan po natin. Alam po namin na malaki po ang maitutulong ng ating Mayor, Presidente, Mr. President, kasi po talagang bumababa po ‘yung willingness at saka ‘yung uptake ng ating mga kababayan, Galvez told President Duterte.

There were calls for President Duterte, who is highly popular in the country, to publicly get the first COVID-19 jab to boost the confidence of Filipinos to get vaccinated.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is also helping the government’s aggressive information dissemination campaign, Galvez said.

Every Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) regularly appear in the Philippine Information Agency’s (PIA) Explain, Explain, Explain drive.

The business sector is also assisting the government in convincing people to support the mass vaccination program, he added.

“Nagawa na rin po natin ito noong during testing na — at saka during ng nagkaroon tayo ng Ingat Angat Para Sa Lahat na naging maganda po ‘yung tinatawag nating, ‘yung improvement sa minimum health standard,” Galvez told the President.

Majority of Filipinos showed disinterest in getting inoculated due to safety concerns, according to a recent survey.

To boost public confidence in COVID-19 vaccine, some world leaders got vaccinated in public. Among them are leaders of US, Turkey, and Indonesia. (PND)