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Galvez, Duque willing to get first shot of Covid-19 vaccine

By Lade Jean Kabagani and Christine Cudis

January 27, 2021, 4:51 pm

<p>Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (left) and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (right). </p>

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (left) and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (right). 

MANILA – Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday expressed willingness to get the first shot of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines to prove that the jabs are safe and effective.

Galvez, also the National Policy Against Covid-19 chief implementer, said he is ready to get inoculated with any brand of Covid-19 vaccine that is approved by the vaccine expert panel and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

At least mapakita natin sa buong mamamayan natin na ligtas ‘yung bakuna (At least we can prove to the general public that the vaccine is safe),” he said in an interview during a visit of the Covid-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) team in Taguig City.

Galvez emphasized that all vaccine candidates went through stringent regulatory procedures.

"We would like to assure you that the vaccines to be procured by the national government will undergo (a) stringent evaluation and selection process," he said.

Meanwhile, Duque said he is also willing to get vaccinated regardless of vaccine brand.

“Ako ay nanawagan na kung kami po ay mauuna, isa lang po ang aming hangarin, para ipakita sa taumbayan na ito pong mga bakunang ito na napili at nasuring maigi ay siguradong ligtas (I'm appealing that if we get the first shot, we have only one intention: to show the public that these vaccines that have been selected and carefully evaluated are definitely safe," said Duque.

The government earlier said it would procure vaccines that are already widely used in other countries.

Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano, for his part, said one of the most important factors in winning the battle against the pandemic is to cooperate with the government.

“We should trust the experts because the vaccines were already used in other countries before us,” he said.

Cayetano’s leadership was lauded by the Inter-Agency Task Force against Covid-19.

 “The vaccine is the best solution to improve our situation. We need to cooperate so we can get our economy going as fast as we can,” he added. (PNA)

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