Palace says Filipinos cannot be choosy of free COVID-19 vaccines

January 11, 2021

Filipinos cannot be "choosy" which vaccine against coronavirus disease will be injected to them since it is free and on voluntary basis, Malacanang said on Monday.

In a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this was the consensus among the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases although a resolution has yet to be issued.

"No one can choose because this (vaccination) is not compulsary. But you will sign a waiver that you did not want to be injected. And if you are (part) of the priority, you will lose such priority (status). You will be included in the rest of the people who will wait for the vaccine," Roque explained.

"It's true that all of us have the right to good health but you cannot be choosy because there are lots of Filipinos who should be injected," he added.

The government said it has secured already vaccines from China, specifically from Sinovac, which is expected to be delivered by next month.

Western vaccines, such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca, are only expected to arrive in the country by middle of this year.

Based in a survey, many Filipinos have expressed unwillingness to be inoculated by COVID-19 vaccine due to some concerns.

So far, Roque said the Philippines has secured 25 million doses from Sinovac, 30 million doses from Covovax, and at least 10 million doses fron AstraZeneca. Celerina Monte/DMS