MANILA – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he will “waive” his chance to get the Covid-19 vaccine, arguing that elderly people like him should not be prioritised.
Just over a million people in the Philippines have received their first shot since the beginning of March – a fraction of the number needed to reach herd immunity in the country of 110 million.
The slow roll-out and limited supply have fuelled criticism of the government’s handling of the pandemic, as a record surge in infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in the locked-down capital here and surrounding provinces.
The vaccination campaign initially targeted healthcare workers and soldiers, but it has since widened to include the elderly and those with comorbidities.
While many world leaders received their jab in public to encourage others to get inoculated, Duterte said he will forgo the opportunity.
“I will waive. Whoever wants to get my slot, I will give (it to them),” he said in a pre-recorded speech released yesterday.
“Let’s prioritise those who, once they get the vaccine, there’s a chance that he will live, and live productively,” said the 76-year-old after a two-week absence from the public eye that fuelled speculation he has Covid-19.
“Most senior citizens are no longer that productive.”
Vaccines have been a frequent topic in Duterte’s often rambling speeches. His spokesman Harry Roque previously walked back on his comments.
In the past, Duterte has suggested that he would be willing to be inoculated in public – after saying he would get it in private.
Last August, he offered himself up as a guinea pig for the very first jab of the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine after the Philippines emerged as a front runner for overseas clinical trials.
Roque later said Duterte will not receive the inoculation until regulators have guaranteed its safety.
Today, Roque said he hopes the president will change his mind about not getting the jab.
“Supply is limited. Once supplies come in, maybe that’s the time he will get vaccinated,” he told reporters.
Vaccine hesitancy is a significant issue in the Philippines, with a recent survey showing around 60% of people are unwilling to get immunised against the coronavirus. – AFP, April 13, 2021
