Gordon wants stop to early COVID-19 vaccination of VIPs

Senator Richard Gordon on Wednesday said that the alleged early vaccination of some VIPs in the country would have to stop.

"Itigil na 'yan ng mga VIP-VIP, pati ba naman diyan mangunguna pa kayo baka mauna pa kayo sa impyerno sa kasakiman ng iba diyan eh," Gordon said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

While saying that he is amenable to the decision of Senate President Vicente Sotto III not to invite in the upcoming hearing the Presidential Security Group—who are said to be the first to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the country even without approval Food and Drug Administration—Gordon said the covert inoculation was wrong.

"Mali 'yung ginawa diyan. Lahat ng nasa poder, may mga Cabinet members, may nagsasabi pa may mga kasama kami pero wala akong pinapakinggan diyan basta kung mayroong ebidensya, later on managot. They committed a crime," he said.

"Ang masama doon 'yung halimbawa gagayahin eh 'di lalo tayong delikado," he added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the smuggling of COVID-19 vaccines could result in another "Dengvaxia scare

Building up public confidence on the government's immunization program against the novel disease would be crucial, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said.

Citing that only 25% of NCR respondents top a survey are willing to receive COVID-19 shots, Drilon urged the government to address the issue of "high vaccine hesitancy."

"The reluctance to participate in COVID-19 immunization program, if not immediately addressed, will spell trouble in the future and can jeopardize efforts to contain the pandemic," he said.

"We must overcome this growing distrust and hesitancy. We can achieve this by being transparent and by providing Filipinos proper information on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines that we will use in the country," he added.

As of January 6, the Philippines recorded a total of 480,737 COVID-19 cases with 9,347 deaths and 448,700 recoveries.

There are also 22,690 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine. -NB, GMA News