The Department of Health (DOH) has supported the strategy of some local government units (LGUs) to put stickers on houses and establishments with people already vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that this is one of the strategies of LGUs to identify who among their constituents were already vaccinated.
“I think the local governments are employing different strategies para sa kani-kanilang mga local government on kung paano nila masasabi na ang pamilyang ito ay bakunado na o hindi (for their respective jurisdictions on how they can determine if this family has been vaccinated or not),” said Vergeire in a televised press briefing on Saturday, July 10.
“And this is one of the strategies na ginagawa ng ibang LGUs natin and we don’t think that there is discrimination here (And this is one of the strategies that other LGUs are doing-- and we don’t think that there is discrimination here),” she added.
In a separate forum, the Health official maintained that COVID-19 vaccination is voluntary.
“We have never coerced anybody to be vaccinated. Kaya nga po voluntary. Lagi natin sinasabi ang pagbabakuna ay boluntaryo para sa isang indibidwal (It's voluntary. We always say that vaccination is voluntary for an individual),” said Vergeire.
Vergeire said that this has been their line of messaging to the public from the start.
“Sa mga communications handle natin, pilit natin ini-encourage ang ating mga kababayan na magpabakuna (In our communications, we try to encourage our citizens to get vaccinated),” she said.
“Pinapakita at pinaparinig natin sa kanila kung ano ang pwedeng maging benepisyo ng bakunang ito para sila ay makumbinse (We show and inform them the benefits of these vaccines so that they will be convinced),” she added.
The Mandaluyong City LGU has already started this initiative recently to boost its vaccination program. The sticker read, "Relax, we’re vaxed."
More than 12 million Filipinos were already vaccinated against COVID-19 as of July 8, the DOH said.
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