Iloilo Representative Janette Garin on Saturday called on the Department of Health (DOH) to craft an aggressive, concrete, and grounded plan to counter "infodemic"and vaccine hesitancy.
Garin, a former DOH secretary during the Noynoy Aquino presidency, made the call as the country registered yesterday 4,578 additional coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases - the highest since September last year.
‘’Just when we thought we are slowly but surely beating this virus, the country shows a spike in cases. Knowing that we have vaccines in the country is not reason to be complacent,’’ she said.
‘’We are still in a pandemic. The COVID-19 virus is still here. Let us not put our guards down,’’ Garin stressed.
‘’We are at war with an invisible enemy." She added.
"We are dealing with public health and if we are more concerned of how the statistics will look, we will have a much bigger problem eventually," Garin asked the DOH to counter vaccine hesitancy with clear, concise vaccine literacy, education and communication. Along with the increase in cases is the intensification of infodemic.
‘’Kahit nagpapabakuna na ang mga frontliners natin, marami pa rin ang may agam-agam sa pagbabakuna (While frontliners had been vaccinated, still doubts on the merits of vaccination persists),’’ she said.
‘’These are hard times. Let us all do our share. Patuloy natin ugaliin ang paghuhugas mg kamay, pag-aalcohol, pagsasanitize ng mga gamit at mga frequently touched surface, at tamang pagsusuot ng mask. Magpatest, magpabakuna (Continue practicing the protocols – wash your hands, use alcohol, sanitize your clothes and the surfaces touched, and use of masks properly. Have yourself tested and vaccinated), ‘’ she pointed out. ‘
’There is no room for laxity lalo ngayong patuloy ang pagdami ng kaso sa ating bansa (now that the infection rate is on the rise). Alagaan natin ang ating mga sarili at ang ating mga pamilya (We must take care of ourselves and our families),’’ she added.