More Filipinos now want to get vaccinated against COVID-19, showed results of a survey released on Monday, July 12, by pollster Pulse Asia.
The survey, which was done from June 7 to 16, found that 43 percent of Filipino adults said they would get vaccines against COVID-19, an increase from February’s 16 percent.
The survey, however, showed that still 36 percent of Filipinos do not want to get vaccinated while 16 percent are undecided.
Only five percent said that they have been vaccinated against the disease.
The National Capital Region recorded the most respondents who were willing to get vaccinated at 55 percent, while nearly half, or 49 percent, of those who said they refuse to get vaccinated come from the Visayas region.
The survey found that among those who do not want to get vaccinated said they are uncertain of the vaccines’ safety.
It was the same reason cited by most, or 79 percent, of those who are undecided about getting the vaccine.
At least 35 percent of those who refuse to get vaccinated, however, said they would change their mind if they relatives or friends are safe after vaccination.
The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews with 2,400 respondents aged 18 and above.
The Health department, meanwhile, said the country has already administered about 13 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, four months since inoculations started.
Of the total 13,196,282 vaccine doses administered, about 9.6 million first doses were first jabs, while around 3.5 million were second shots.
Authorities have said that those who have received their second shot of a 2-dose regimen vaccine brand are considered fully vaccinated.
About 96 percent of about 1.6 million health workers, the top priority in the country’s immunization drive, have received at least one vaccine dose, said the Health department.
About 31 percent of 8 million target senior citizens, the second priority group, have received at least one COVID-19 shot.
To encourage more elderly people to get vaccinated, authorities are hosting town hall meetings, setting up special lanes for them, and offering house-to-house inoculation, said the health official.
With about 1.4 million coronavirus infections, the second highest in Southeast Asia, the Philippines aims to vaccinate 58 to 70 million of its 109 population against COVID-19.
