More than half of Filipino adults have expressed confidence on the government’s evaluation of the vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to a survey issued Thursday, May 20.
In a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), 51 percent of Filipino adults have indicated that they are “confident” about the government’s evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Of the figure, 18 percent of the respondents said that they are “very confident” and 34 percent indicated that they are “somewhat confident.”
Those who have expressed confidence are highest in Mindanao (58 percent), followed by the Visayas (55 percent), Metro Manila (49 percent), and Balance Luzon (47 percent).
The results of the nationwide poll showed that 17 percent of the respondents said that they are “not confident” of the review, with 12 percent of them saying that they are “somewhat not confident” while 5 percent are “not at all confident.”
On the other hand, 31 percent of the respondents answered that they are “uncertain” of the government’s vaccine evaluation.
Meanwhile, their is a small difference on the percentage of Filipino adults who indicated their willingness or unwillingness of getting a free COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The SWS said 32 percent are “willing” to get inoculated using the vaccine approved by the country’s food and drug regulatory body, while 35 percent are “uncertain”, and 33 percent are “unwilling” to get the jab.
It noted that 58 percent of those who are “very confident” of the government’s vaccine evaluation have expressed their willingness to get immunized.
The percentage of those willing to be vaccinated is highest in Metro Manila (41 percent), followed by Mindanao (34 percent), the Visayas (32 percent), and Balance Luzon (28 percent).
Moreover, the poll results showed that 41 percent of those who are willing to be vaccinated answered “For my safety and protection against COVID-19” when asked why they are willing to get the vaccine.
This is followed by 30 percent of those who answered “To avoid contracting the COVID-19 virus.”
Following the two most common reasons are: “For my family’s safety and protection versus COVID-19” (9 percent), “To stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus” (6 percent), “It’s required in my workplace” (6 percent), “It’s safe and proven effective” (5 percent), “To go out without the worry of catching COVID-19” (4 percent), “It’s available for free” (4 percent), “I’m following what is being required” (3 percent), “I already got my COVID-19 vaccine” (2 percent), “Because others already got it” (1 percent), and others (2 percent).
Among those who are “uncertain” about getting vaccinated, 39 percent cited reasons related to “I’m afraid of the possible side effects”, followed by “It’s not safe and effective (21 percent), “I might die/I heard reports of fatality” (11 percent), “I’m afraid/I don’t trust the vaccine” (11 percent), and “I have comorbidity/I’m too old” (11 percent).
As for those who are “unwilling” to be vaccinated, 30 percent gave reasons related to “I’m afraid of the possible side effects”, followed by “I might die/I heard reports of fatality” (20 percent), “I have comorbidity/I’m too old” (17 percent), and “I might get sick/I might get COVID-19” (11 percent).
The First Quarter 2021 Social Weather Survey was conducted from April 28 to May 2, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 years old and above nationwide.