COVID-19 VACCINE VITAL TO RESTORE NORMALCY IN PH

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Tuesday emphasized the vital role of the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination drive in restoring normalcy in the country.

During his commentary show “Counterpoint,” Panelo said Filipinos would only experience a normal life, if they get inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine.

“Iyang bakuna, kaya natin tinitake iyan, para lumakas ang ating immune system, maprevent ‘yung pagpasok ng virus (We have to take the vaccine for us to have a strong immune system and prevent getting infected with the virus),” Panelo said.

He encouraged the public to receive the vaccine so they would have lower risk of acquiring the coronavirus disease. “Kumbaga, kung wala tayong bakuna, ang risk natin ay malaki. Samantala, kung may bakuna ka, oh eh di less ang risk mo (If we do not receive the vaccine, our risk of acquiring the virus is big. On the other hand, the risk is less if you get inoculated),” he said.

Panelo issued the statement, as he noted that there is an increase in the number of Filipinos who have expressed intent to get vaccinated to protect themselves against Covid-19.

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

He hoped qualified Filipinos would receive the Covid-19 vaccine once the government starts its free immunization drive. “Kailangan ho talagang magpabakuna. Alam ninyo ba kung bakit? Kailangan kasi makabalik na po tayo sa normal (We really need to get inoculated. Why is it important? Because we need to go back to normal),” he said. “We cannot be hostaged forever to this pandemic.” Under the government’s immunization plan, frontline health workers will be the first to receive shots against Covid-19.

The first batch of vaccines that will arrive in the country is the 117,000 doses of vaccine from Washington-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

The country will receive another batch of 600,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses from China’s Sinovac on Feb. 23.

While the government has yet to start its immunization drive, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said he was studying the proposal to place the entire country under the most relaxed modified general community beginning March 1 to address the rise in hunger and poverty amid the pandemic. (PNA)

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