Only 2 out of 10 Pinoys want to be vaccinated vs. COVID-19 —OCTA poll

Majority of adult Filipinos do not want to be vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the results of a nationwide survey conducted by OCTA Research group showed Wednesday.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras,” the survey showed that only 19 percent want to get COVID-19 vaccine while 46 percent said they do not want to be vaccinated against the illness.  The remaining 35 percent remains undecided.

Results of the survey also showed that 58 percent expressed total distrust of vaccines from China while 13 percent expressed total trust.

The OCTA Research group said this would pose a challenge to the country’s vaccination rollout, especially since the vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac may be the first to be used in the country.

“It’s going to complicate ‘yung deployment ng vaccine when people… number one, don’t want to get vaccinated because they are unsure if the vaccines are safe. And second, because they don’t trust vaccines coming from China,” OCTA's Professor Ranjit Singh Rye said.

A total of 1,200 Filipinos aged 18 years and above were interviewed from January 26 to February 1.  The survey had a ±3% nationwide margin of error.

OCTA said the misgivings of the people should be countered with an information campaign.

“Those who don’t want to be vaccinated, ang primary reason nila ay hindi sila sigurado kung ligtas ‘yung bakuna. So ‘yun ang mga kailangang tugunan ng education campaign ng ating Department of Health (DOH),” Rye said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said is not worried with the results of the survey.

“‘Yung 35 percent undecided, so malaking porsyento pa rin ‘yan na kapag nakita nilang may naunang magpabakuna at okay naman, eh madali namang magbabago ‘yang 35 percent undecided at kampante naman ako magpapabakuna din ‘yan,” he said.

The DOH vowed to intensify its information campaign.

“So far, ngayon parang 2 to 5 adverse events per 1 million case. Ang ibig sabihin niyan, ang incidence rate nasa .0005 percent. So ang baba-baba. Iyan ang isa sa mga ating bibigyang-diin sa ating kampanya na maniwala sa kaligtasan ng bakuna,” Duque said.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News