Duterte to public: Get COVID-19 vaccine or get sick

President Rodrigo Duterte has called on the public to get their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible or else risk getting sick or infecting others.

"We cannot force you, kung ayaw ninyo, huwag kayo lumabas ng bahay. 'Pag lumabas kayo, mahahawa ninyo ang ibang tao (but if you don't want to get inoculated, don't leave your home. If you go out, you will just infect others)," Duterte said.

"Maghawaan talaga 'yan (There will surely be spread of infection)," he added.

The President then assured the public that all available vaccine brands are safe and effective.

“Kung mahirap ka man o mayaman, kung gusto mo, pumunta ka doon sa vaccination sites. If you are there in that community, go there and have yourselves vaccinated by any of the vaccines available. They are all potent,” Duterte said.

(Whether you are rich or poor, if you want to get a COVID-19 vaccine, go to the vaccination sites.)

“They are all effective. So wala...there's no reason for you really to be choosy about it. The only reason is ayaw kong magkaroon ng...magkaroon ng ano 'yong istorya na may pinapaboran kami na itong ito. Wala," he added.

(These vaccines are all effective. I don’t want a story to go around that we are favoring a COVID-19 vaccine brand because that is not the case.)

Duterte also said the public should heed the advice of doctors to get vaccinated, especially with the emergence of new variants of coronavirus rather than wait for the time when you get infected and have a hard time breathing.

"Pag hindi ka na makahinga, dalhin ka sa ospital, walang makalapit sa pasyente, doctor lang, nakabalot pa to avoid being infected (Once you have difficulty in breathing, you will be brought to the hospital, no one can get near you except doctors who are in PPE to avoid being infected)," he said.

"Pag namatay kayo, derecho kayo sa morgue. Di mo mahalikan, marealize mo ang sakit (When you die, you will be brought straight to the morgue. You will not be able to kiss your loved ones goodbye)," he added.

At this point, the President underscored that choice matters in surviving COVID-19.

"Your choice, your life," he said.

At least four million of the seven million doses of COVID-19 vaccine supply have been deployed so far. Of this number, three million doses have been administered.

The government is eyeing to vaccinate 58 million people or 70% of the population in focus areas to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year.—AOL, GMA News