Procrastination in having your coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine will kill you.
President Duterte gave this warning to Filipinos--particularly the hard-headed ones who keep refusing the jab--during his latest "Talk to the People" public briefing on late Thursday night, Jan. 6.
"Kayong mga hindi pa, makiusap na lang ako sa iyo, huwag na lang ito daanin sa galit-galit (For those who are still unvaccinated, may I just plead to you, let's not argue over this). May I just really earnestly request you to get your vaccine," Duterte said.
"Do not procrastinate, sabihin mo bukas na, bukas na, bukas na, because the bukas (tomorrow) might be the day that will --- you start to die ‘pag nagpatong na ito (when all of these befall you)," he added.
The Chief Executive made these rather grim remarks as he voiced out his personal worries about the impact of the Omicron variant and other mutations of the new coronavirus to the already pandemic-weary citizenry.
The Philippines is right in the middle of a ferocious new surge in COVID-19 cases that's on pace to top the figures recorded during the previous in August to September 2021.
Duterte also shared the story of a friend of his who contracted COVID-19 early on in the pandemic when there was still no vaccine available. He said that his friend, whom he didn't name, called him to ask for help since he "can hardly breathe".
Duterte said his friend was already in the hospital along with the latter's wife, who was also infected with COVID-19. The couple died within two days after the phone call.
"You know, it’s very tragic. They had only one child, a daughter, pero malaki naman (but she was already grown up)," the President said.
Duterte reiterated during the briefing--as he has done so the past year--that the vaccine is the best defense against COVID-19.
The Philippines rolled out its mass inoculation program against the dreaded disease on March 1, 2021--nearly a year after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic.