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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gov't launches massive info drive to ease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Gov't launches massive info drive to ease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Published Feb 19, 2021 04:24 pm

With the unsatisfactory trust rate in the national vaccination program, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), local government units (LGUs) and uniformed personnel have launched a massive information drive to entice the qualified recipients to be vaccinated as the country continues its battle against the coronavirus-2019 disease (COVID-19).

DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya maintained Friday, Feb. 19, the need to counter vaccine hesitancy among some sectors of the public even if the demand for the COVID-19 dose has steadily increased.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, (PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

Despite the rise in COVID-19 trust rate, Malaya said there is still a lot of disinformation and fake news being circulated by anti-vaxxers and by the misinformed as this will be “countered head-on by the information drive.’’

He noted that the DILG is working closely with the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in mobilizing all LGUs and all DILG attached agencies especially the uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to inform as many Filipinos about the benefits and risks of vaccines, including the processes involved to deliver these vaccines to them.

“We are mobilizing all our DILG field officers down to the municipal level and all our chiefs of police, jail wardens, and fire marshals so that they become vaccination champions. Through a series of webinars and dialogues with health experts, we will equip them in their new role as vaccination champions in their respective communities,” Malaya said.

Malaya admitted that there is much to be done to generate demand.

“Based on the latest data from OCTA, vaccine hesitancy is at 23 perccent-40 percent depending on the location and circumstances. The good news is that after our town hall meetings, demand increases up to 99 percent so an information drive is instrumental to increase vaccination uptake,” he added.

“We urge all LGUs to hold barangay assemblies, town hall meetings and make full use of social media to promote vaccination,” said Malaya. 

Under DILG Memorandum Circular 2021-019 signed by DILG officer-in-charge Bernardo Florece, all LGUs are directed to lead in local demand generation to improve vaccine confidence in their respective communities.

In the same memo, all local chief executives and their local health committees and communication arms were directed to establish local vaccination operations centers with a dedicated Communications, Advocacy and Partnership Team that shall lead the demand generation and communication activities on the local level. 

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