Do not politicize COVID-19 vaccination program -Lorenzana

By Jimmyley E. Guzman

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (Contributed photo)

PASIG CITY, March 1 (PIA) — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana today urged the public not to “politicize” the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

“Now is not the time to play Doomsayer. Now is not the time for games. And most specially, now is not the time for politics,” Lorenzana told the PIA-NCR in a statement.

“As our government rolls out its vaccination program, let us all work together to make it successful. Let us encourage our people to participate in the program and have themselves vaccinated. I don’t see any good coming out from spreading fake news or lies about the Sinovac vaccine. Sinovac has been supplying effective and affordable anti-rabies, anti-tetanus and flu vaccines to the Philippines since 2009,” he added.

According to Lorenzana, criticizing the Sinovac vaccine will only dissuade people from getting vaccinated.

“Let us spread facts. Countries like Thailand, which is the second richest in Southeast Asia, rolled out Sinovac in their vaccination program yesterday. Hong Kong, a progressive metropolis, uses it, too. Malaysia and Singapore have started to receive Sinovac as well,” he said.

The Philippines on Sunday received the much-awaited very first 600,000 doses of Sinovac-made CoronaVac vaccine donated by China. The country then commenced its massive vaccination rollout on Monday, March 1, initially targeting medical and health fronline workers, in a bid to curb the COVID-19 trajectory at the soonest possible time.  

“This is just the first brand to arrive, among other brands that are scheduled. Don’t politicize the vaccine donation and use it as a political propaganda. Hindi maganda. It reflects badly on us as a nation. Ginagalit, tinatakot pa ng iilan ang mga tao sa kinakalat nilang mga fake news. Please stop. Tama na muna ang pulitika,” Lorenzana said. (PIA NCR)