The World Health Organization (WHO) has cited the Philippines ’ COVID-19 vaccine rollout, rejecting claims of public reluctance to get inoculated against the disease.
“Right now, we don’t see a lot of (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines. Actually, the issue is that the vaccine supply cannot meet the demand,” Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines, said during a virtual press briefing on Monday.
He added that while there had been initial vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines — triggered mainly by an anti-dengue vaccine controversy in 2018 — in terms of the COVID-19 jabs, many Filipinos were willing to get vaccinated.
“So it’s not an issue of vaccine hesitancy, (but rather an issue) of preference for a particular brand of vaccine,” he added.
The increase in the number of COVID-19 vaccines used by the Philippines placed it at the number 37 spot in the global ranking of countries that have administered the COVID-19 vaccines so far.
However, some Filipinos are still waiting to be inoculated with specific vaccine brands, especially those manufactured by the US. For which, WHO affirmed that they are not advocating for preference for one or the other brand.
“Right now, we don’t see a lot of (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines. Actually, the issue is that the vaccine supply cannot meet the demand,” Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines, said during a virtual press briefing on Monday.
He added that while there had been initial vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines — triggered mainly by an anti-dengue vaccine controversy in 2018 — in terms of the COVID-19 jabs, many Filipinos were willing to get vaccinated.
“So it’s not an issue of vaccine hesitancy, (but rather an issue) of preference for a particular brand of vaccine,” he added.
The increase in the number of COVID-19 vaccines used by the Philippines placed it at the number 37 spot in the global ranking of countries that have administered the COVID-19 vaccines so far.
However, some Filipinos are still waiting to be inoculated with specific vaccine brands, especially those manufactured by the US. For which, WHO affirmed that they are not advocating for preference for one or the other brand.
