Marikina, Navotas residents may choose COVID-19 vaccine brand

Residents of Marikina and Navotas may choose the COVID-19 vaccine brand with which they want to be inoculated.

This despite a Department of the Interior and Local Government rule that individuals who intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19 would only be informed of the brand at the vaccination site.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said local government units were no longer allowed to make advance announcements of the brand that will be used.

According to a report on "24 Oras", Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco and Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro said the DILG should first study the directive first as it could cause vaccine mistrust.

"Nagke-create 'yan ng mistrust o distrust. Mawawalan 'yong tao ng tiwala doon sa proseso," Tiangco said.

Teodoro said the vaccination process should be deliberative and with informed consent.

"Informed consent eh dapat deliberative ito doon sa bahagi ng taong sasaksakan. Mayroon siyang participation kung ano 'yong gagamiting bakuna sa kaniya," he said.

Año issued the directive to LGUs upon the recommendation of the Department of Health. He assured the public that all vaccines "have gone through a stringent approval process and are therefore safe and efficacious."

Año stressed that the individual’s right to information is still fully respected. According to him, the government is just taking this step to prevent a repeat of mass gatherings and long lines that occurred when brands are announced beforehand. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/NB, GMA News