Bong Go: raise awareness and public confidence in vaccines to address hesitancy and accelerate rollout, incentivize if needed

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go called for a whole-of nation approach to raise awareness and public confidence in vaccines in order to address fears and hesitations of some to get inoculated. This was reflected in recent surveys showing high hesitancy of Filipinos to get vaccinated despite the available supply.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go said that in order to accelerate rollout and attain herd immunity soon, the public must be given the right information as assurance that vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary in order to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

Go welcomed initiatives by various groups to encourage Filipinos to get vaccinated saying that government must explore more creative ways to raise public confidence as it prepares to implement the next phases of the vaccination rollout.

In an interview given after the separate launches of the 115th and 116th Malasakit Centers at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, both in Santa Cruz, Manila City on Friday, May 28, Go noted that a number of countries are offering different incentives to get people vaccinated.

"Maganda naman 'yun. Kanya-kanya naman tayo ng paraan para ma-engganyo ang mga kababayan natin. Kung makaka-engganyo, bakit hindi? Sa ibang bansa sinasali nila sa lottery at dito nagpapa-raffle. Sa Amerika, binibigyan pa nila ng mga incentives," he began.

He further explained that getting more people vaccinated is one of the best ways to push others to overcome their hesitancy. He warned that vaccine hesitancy is a real threat to public health and stressed the need for strategies to combat the fear among some Filipinos.

"Ang atin dito kunin natin ang tiwala ng tao. Kapag marami ang naeengganyo, marami ang magpapabakuna. Ang iba kasi nag-aantayan 'yan ... kaya ako mismo nananawagan sa mga ospital na magpabakuna na. Huwag kayo matakot sa bakuna, magtiwala kayo dahil ito ang tanging solusyon natin sa pandemyang 'to," continued Go.

"Ang attitude ng mga Pilipino ay ma-engganyo lang 'yan 'pag nakikita nilang maganda ang epekto. Pero habang hindi nila nakikita ang magiging resulta, hindi magpapabakuna ang mga iyan," he said.

On that note, the Senator reiterated his appeal to the government to educate the public further on the COVID-19 vaccine roadmap and boost its information campaign. A robust information campaign, he explained, is necessary in building vaccine confidence and sustaining the public's cooperation as it will address concerns on fake news and misinformation and mitigate fear.

"Gawin natin ang lahat para ipakita sa tao na mapagkakatiwalaan ang bakuna ... dahil nandiyan pa rin ang takot ng Pilipino. Hindi maiiwasan 'yan lalo na sa mga probinsya," said Go.

"Pumupunta ako sa Laguna, Batangas at mga malalayong probinsya. Tinatanong ko ang mga kababayan natin kung sino ang gusto magpabakuna at konti ang nagtataas ng kamay ... Karamihan sa mga mahihirap ayaw kaya kailangan natin sila i-encourage para bumuti at unti-unting ng bumalik sa normal ang buhay nila," he added.

The Senator emphasized that the stakes could not be higher. Attaining herd immunity at the community level, he explained, is critical to ending the ongoing pandemic and that means having anywhere from 60% to 90% of the population vaccinated.

"Kailangan natin mabakunahan ang more than 50% ng Pilipino para ma-achieve ang herd immunity. Kung hindi natin ma-achieve 'yun, kakalat pa rin ang coronavirus. Hindi natin alam ang mga katabi natin positibo na pala," he said.

"Kaya kailangan talaga mabakunahan para maging protektado at kahit magka-COVID ka man, hindi magiging severe ang kaso mo. Ang importante dito 'yung buhay ng bawat Pilipino," maintained Go.