Robredo urges education drive ahead of COVID-19 vaccine rollout

As nations gear up for the rollout of a vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday called for a house-to-house education campaign to allay fears about vaccination.

In her weekly radio show, Robredo lamented how the Dengvaxia scare eroded public trust in vaccination.

“Napakahirap noon kasi taon iyong ginugol para makahanap din ng lunas doon sa sakit na iyon, makahanap ng vaccine—tapos dahil sa irresponsible na pag-iingay… parang iniimpluwensiyahan mo iyong pag-isip ng tao na iyong desisyon na magiging mali,” she said.

In 2017, pharmaceutical company Sanofi warned that its Dengvaxia vaccine could cause severe illness in the long run among patients who had not contracted dengue before vaccination.

Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta was later accused of initiating public hysteria following Sanofi’s announcement, causing trust in vaccines to plummet.

“Iyon iyong masama. Iyon iyong nangyari dito. At sana dito sa COVID hindi ganiyan,” Robredo said, citing the outbreak of measles and polio that followed the hysteria.

The Vice President said barangay health workers could lead vaccine education efforts to combat misinformation.

“Sana mas galingan pa natin iyong parang information campaign. Gawin talaga siyang adbokasiya. Dapat binabahay-bahay iyong tao, kasi tumaas naman iyong response natin sa vaccinations noong talagang binabahay-bahay,” she said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier allowed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant an emergency use authorization on COVID-19 vaccines and drugs.

The FDA said a COVID-19 vaccine may be ready for distribution in the Philippines by the first quarter of 2021.

The Philippines had tallied nearly 440,000 infections as of Sunday afternoon. — DVM, GMA News