The Department of Health (DOH) stressed COVID-19 vaccination’s importance, citing “growing number of real-world evidence globally” on their ability to reduce hospitalization and death.
In a statement, the DOH condemned medical professionals for spreading wrong information on COVID-19 vaccines, an act the agency described as “irresponsible” amid the threat posed by the highly transmissible Delta variant.
This was after a health practitioner claimed in a radio interview this week that the vaccines are more dangerous than the actual virus.
“It is likewise irresponsible for media outlets to allow such professionals to use their platforms to spread baseless information that stands to harm Filipinos, especially those who are in the process of deciding to get vaccinated,” the DOH said.
Malacaῆang also denounced the claim, saying that vaccines approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO) are safe and effective.
“Huwag po kayong makinig sa mga nagsasabing hindi epektibo at hindi ligtas ang mga bakuna, iyan po ay mga pekeng eksperto,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his Thursday briefing.
The University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, where the health practitioner works, said they support the evidence-based approach of using vaccines in the pandemic response.
The WHO also advised the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Approved COVID-19 vaccines provide a high degree of protection against getting seriously ill and dying from the disease, although no vaccine is 100% protective,” the WHO said.
Among the vaccines with emergency use listing (EUL) from the WHO are Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
“Even after you’re vaccinated, keep taking precautions. While a COVID-19 vaccine will prevent serious illness and death, we still don’t know the extent to which it keeps you from being infected and passing the virus on to others,” the WHO said. – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
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