Local government units were called upon to further intensify their COVID-19 vaccination drive amid the admission by the national government that the country’s vaccination rate has slowed down.

Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles said that LGUs and national government agencies tasked to implement the vaccination program should take advantage of the slow down in COVID 1- infection in the country.

He said LGUs have to step up their respective information drive and pursue moves that would encourage people to have themselves protected through COVID 19 jabs.

“No less than our Vaccine Czar, General Carlito Galvez, pointed out at vaccine hesitancy in some of our communities. It will be very helpful for all of us if our good local officials will sweep through barangays and inform our people on the efficacy and safety of the vaccines our government offer,” he said.

Galvez, during President Duterte’s Talk to the People earlier this week, made public that about 39 million vaccine doses are currently stockpiled and admitted that vaccination rate has slowed down.

Official data from the National Task Force against COVID-19 confirms that weekly inoculations were down to an average of 375,773 last week from a peak of 523,018 during the first week of August.

“We need to assure our people that being vaccinated is crucial not just for public health but also for the economy. An effective information drive that will connect faster vaccination rates to speedy economic recovery will hit the mark as this is closer to their gut,” the Rizal solon explained.

According to a survey by OCTA Research released yesterday, 22% of Filipinos are still unwilling to be vaccinated against COVID-19 while 18% are undecided.

Nograles said, “While the number of those willing to be vaccinated increased from just 43% in July to 60% now, we still have to ensure that more and more people will be inoculated to ensure herd immunity.” The Harvard-trained lawyer also suggested that LGUs may also be more creative by giving some benefits to those who are already fully protected.

“We can further address vaccine hesitancy by showing them the practical advantages of being vaccinated. We can probably exempt them from curfew hours or allow them to freely do things like playing sports like basketball that are limited now. I’m sure our LGU officials know what are the interests of their constituents that could help erase our current problems on vaccine demand,” Nograles added.