A RECENT local government survey has showed that majority of residents do not want to be inoculated with Covid vaccine for various reasons while about one-third would like to see the results of the anti-coronavirus immunization before deciding whether to get the shot or not, and the rest undecided.
In the survey conducted by the Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator to some 1,384 respondents in 87 of Zamboanga’s 98 barangays, showed that 47% do not intend to take any Covid-19 vaccine while about 37% will wait for its effects on others before availing.
District 1 residents or 48% of the respondents showed they are more open to take vaccines without condition as opposed to District 2 residents or 45% of those interviewed.
Residents in rural areas or 48% also dislike the vaccines slightly more, although urban dwellers prefer trusted brands only. Female respondents or 48% are also slightly more wary than their male counterparts or 45%, but no statistical difference was observed between single and non-single individuals.
The opinion survey also showed that native Zamboanga City residents and those born in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi provinces are more doubtful of the vaccines, while those coming from other parts of Zamboanga Peninsula are slightly less apprehensive.
According to the survey, respondents who identify themselves as poor are also significantly distrustful of vaccines.
When asked what Covid-19 vaccines they prefer, respondents chose the U.S.-made Pfizer which is the clear favorite vaccine brand even among respondents who will wait for the effects on others and those who prefer vaccines to be given free, and also those who will take the vaccines without condition.
It is also the preferred brand across both congressional districts, genders and most major ethnic groups. More affluent respondents, as well as those with higher educational attainment, also favor Pfizer.
The survey, conducted on February 15-26, aims to provide insights to the public’s views on the Covid-19 vaccines as the local government prepares to roll out its vaccination program. It will also aid policy-making and data-driven decisions relative to the local government’s continuing response to the ongoing pandemic.
The Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator said surveys taken per barangay were proportional to their respective 2015 census population. The respondents were interviewed with a margin of error of +/- 2.7% at 95% confidence level.
Mayor Beng Climaco, who heads the Zamboanga City Task Force on Covid-19, has repeatedly called on residents to take the vaccine as soon as they are available.
Climaco has already signed a $2 million (or roughly P100 million) deal with the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for the local government’s vaccination program that will cover 694,696 residents or 70% of the projected 2021 population of 992,423 inhabitants.
The initial P200 million for the purchase of the vaccines are included in the P4.38-billion 2021 Executive Budget of the local government, according to Climaco, who is also a member of the Committee on Vaccine Availment of the League of Cities of the Philippines.
Climaco said the local government will allocate P100 million more for additional Covid vaccines following talks with US-based Johnson & Johnson. She assured the public that the local government will only use vaccines that are proven safe and effective against the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease.
The local government’s vaccination program, Climaco said, will prioritize healthcare workers, essential and other frontline service providers, and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and poor.
Climaco said the City government is closely coordinating with the national government for the acquisition of more Covid-19 vaccines since Zamboanga is a priority area. “With the emergence of new variants of the virus, we must not let our guards down. We continue to work hard while balancing other functions of government to keep our city safe, restore our vitality as a people, and continuously repair our economy.”
“As Mayor of this City, I vow that we will not stop doing our jobs and we will continue to sincerely serve our City to keep our people safe just as we have always done since 2013. It takes the whole-of-government effort to accomplish this task,” she said.
Dr. Saude Imlan, president of the local chapter of the Philippine Medical Society, has also encouraged residents to avail of the Covid vaccine as soon as it is made available to the public.
Dr. Norvie Jalani, an epidemiologist at the Zamboanga City Medical Center, said: “As an epidemiologist, I have witnessed individuals on ICU without vaccines. Vaccine is still the most effective approach against Covid-19 and other emerging pandemics in the future. Turn hesitancy into empowerment. Trust science, get your vaccines now.”
Dr. Aisa Gregorio, of the Zamboanga City Medical Center, also doused fears of residents to the effects of the Covid-19 vaccine on the body. “Do not be afraid of the vaccination. The vaccination is to prevent the spread of infection,” she said.
Herd Immunity
City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite has said the vaccines will be available by the 3rd quarter of this year, adding, the local government is now working on plans for the mass inoculation following the guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH).
“Tene kita guidelines from the DOH, el deaton maga priority groups, con quien kita una man vaccinate and ta mira kita el strategy deaton de que manera hace,” she said, adding, that the local government is targeting at least 70% of the populations in order to reach herd immunity.
“Ta habla gane for Covid, at least 70% del population should be protected to have herd immunity para puede man protect con aquellos maga vulnerable populations deaton. Si tene kita budget and available deaton supplies for the vaccine, actually puede kita man vaccinate more than 70%. Pero ta habla gane kita, at least 70% to be protected for us to have herd immunity,” Miravite explained.
Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, whether through vaccination or previous infections, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack immunity.
Climaco said: “The immediate future looks daunting now, but hope is everywhere. This too shall pass. And as in past crises, I am confident that we, as a City, will not only surmount this pandemic. We will bounce back stronger and greater than ever. Cay ta crea iyo na favor del Dios y na de aton unidad, ay sale kita mas mafuerza, mas valiente, mas resiliente y lleno de esperanza para keda victorioso na maskin cosa pa man desefios kita ay enfrenta.” (Zamboanga Post, Claudine Uniana and Jasmine Mohammadsali.)
Like Us on Facebook: The Mindanao Examiner
Like Us on Facebook: The Zamboanga Post
Follow Us on Twitter: Mindanao Examine
Mirror Site: Mindanao Examiner Blog
Digital Archives: Mindanao Examiner Digital
Media Rates: Advertising Rates
No comments:
Post a Comment