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Nearly half of Pinoys opt to skip COVID-19 vaccine: Pulse Asia

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Gillan Ropero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/reuters/12/08/coronavirus-who-vaccines.jpg"/><figcaption>Vials labelled &quot;COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine&quot; are placed on dry ice in this illustration taken, December 4, 2020. <em>Dado Ruvic, Reuters/file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE)</strong> — Nearly half or 47 percent of Filipinos said late last year they would not get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19, according to results of a Pulse Asia survey revealed Thursday.</p><p>Of 2,400 adults surveyed on Nov. 23-Dec. 2 last year, 47 percent said they would skip the inoculation, while 32 percent said they would get vaccinated. Twenty-one percent were undecided.</p><p>The prevailing opinion was most popular in Visayas (55 percent), followed by Mindanao (48 percent), Balance Luzon (46 percent), and Metro Manila (41 percent).</p><p>Concern about the safety of the vaccines, at 84 percent, is primarily the reason of those who said they would not get vaccinated, according to the survey.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2_hAYincWkg?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>The sentiment was highest in Metro Manila at 89 percent, followed by Visayas at 88 percent, Balance Luzon at 84 percent, and Mindanao at 79 percent.</p><p>Meantime, some 5 percent said a vaccination was not required to combat COVID-19, while 7 percent were concerned that it might not be free, and 4 percent said it might be expensive.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/01/07/20210107-pulse-table-1.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Of 2,400 adults surveyed, 47 percent said they would skip the inoculation, while 32 percent said they would get vaccinated and 21 percent were undecided. <em>Pulse Asia</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The government must exert more effort in its vaccination campaigns after a decline in confidence following the Dengvaxia controversy, health reform advocate Tony Leachon earlier said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/21/20/govt-must-campaign-for-vaccination-programs-as-dengvaxia-scare-lingers">Gov&#x27;t must campaign for vaccination programs as Dengvaxia scare lingers</a></li></ul><p>In late 2017, the government <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/01/17/philippines-suspends-dengue-vaccine-program-after-sanofi-warns-of-risks">stopped</a> its nationwide dengue vaccination program and pulled Dengvaxia off the market after drugmaker Sanofi warned that the vaccine might cause severe symptoms if given to those who did not have prior exposure to the mosquito-borne disease.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/30/17/doh-on-alert-as-sanofi-admits-dengue-vaccine-poses-risks">DOH on alert as Sanofi admits dengue vaccine poses risks</a></li></ul><p>“Nanggaling ang takot na &#x27;yan sa sad story natin sa Dengvaxia fiasco. &#x27;Yun minadali, safety issue &#x27;yun. Hindi dumaan sa medical community, diretso sa DepEd (Department of Education),” said Dr. Tony Leachon, referring to the anti-dengue vaccine that was reported to cause severe symptoms when administered on those who have never had the mosquito-borne disease. </p><p>(That fear emanated from the sad story of the Dengvaxia fiasco. That was a safety issue, they rushed it. It did not go through the medical community but straight to DepEd.)</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/01/07/20210107-pulse-table-2.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div><p>An OCTA Research Group study earlier found that only 25 percent of Metro Manila residents are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The capital region is home to roughly a tenth of the Philippines&#x27; 100 million population.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/05/21/covid19-coronavirus-vaccine-readiness-hesitation-filipinos-in-metro-manila-octa-survey-study">Only 1 in 4 Metro Manila residents willing to take COVID-19 vaccine — OCTA survey</a></li></ul><p>The 75 percent vaccine hesitancy is &quot;very dangerous,&quot; former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral earlier said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/vaccine-hesitancy-in-metro-manila-alarming-dangerous-ex-health-chief">Vaccine hesitancy in Metro Manila &#x27;alarming, dangerous&#x27; - ex-health chief</a></li></ul><p>&quot;We need to make them understand that vaccines are effective and safe. And that if they take it, the chances of developing this dreaded coronavirus illness are going to be reduced by very significant number,&quot; she told ANC.</p><p>&quot;We need to make sure that we reach everybody with the correct information so that they can choose for themselves whether they will accept the vaccine or not.&quot;</p><p>The Philippines is expected to begin its COVID-19 vaccination program in the second quarter as the first batch of its order from AstraZeneca is scheduled to arrive in May.</p><p>The Pulse Asia survey was conducted at a time when Pfizer and Moderna announced that their vaccines were 90 percent and 94.5 percent effective, respectively, based on their trials, the pollster said.</p><p>The country as of Wednesday reported 480,737 cases of COVID-19, with 22,690 active infections. It has yet to detect the new coronavirus variant, the health department said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/no-new-covid-variant-detected-in-ph-gene-sequencing-shows-doh">No new COVID variant detected in PH, gene sequencing shows — DOH</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/philippines-expands-travel-curbs-to-6-more-countries-over-new-covid-19-variant">Philippines expands travel curbs to 6 more countries over new COVID-19 variant</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8eOKXTl8RS8?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Nearly half or 47 percent of Filipinos said they would not get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19, an independent Pulse Asia survey revealed Thursday.</p>

Nearly half or 47 percent of Filipinos said they would not get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19, an independent Pulse Asia survey revealed Thursday.

Nearly half of Pinoys opt to skip COVID-19 vaccine: Pulse Asia

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Nearly half of Pinoys opt to skip COVID-19 vaccine: Pulse Asia

Gillan Ropero,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 07, 2021 01:48 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 07, 2021 10:53 PM PHT

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Pulse Asia

COVID-19 vaccine

vaccine hesitancy

vaccine confidence

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