Get booster shots ahead of May 9 polls, PRRD tells public

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is encouraging Filipinos participating in the May 9 national and local elections to receive a booster shot against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Duterte made the call, reiterating that the Covid-19 remains a threat to public health.

In his pre-recorded Talk to the People aired Tuesday morning, Duterte said the booster shot will serve as an additional protection against coronavirus.

“‘Yung booster shots ninyo. It’s still available at (and) anybody can have it because it’s election time. There will be a crowding again of people, congregating, and it would be good to have the booster shots before you go out and mix with the crowd,” he said.

Duterte said Filipinos with Covid-19 booster shots need not worry when they cast their vote on May 9 since they are already protected against the dreaded disease.

“Hindi ka masakitin (You will not get sick), it (booster shot) can protect you and you can vote there without any —sans the worry about getting an infection again,” he said.

Don’t be complacent

As of Monday, a total of 146,869,397 Covid-19 vaccine doses have already been administered nationwide, according to the country’s vaccine tracker presented to Duterte by National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.

Around 67,911,464 individuals are already fully-vaccinated, Galvez said.

Galvez added that about 13,231,643 individuals have already received the third dose of the vaccine, while some 7,430 individuals have been inoculated with the fourth vaccine shot.

Duterte said that while the Covid-19 threat is not as “serious” as before, the public should not let their guard down.

“Still, we are in the Covid-19. Complacency is really be —it would be the enemy of itong (this) in the matter of preventing again or making —allowing the Covid-19 to come back. Sabagay (Perhaps), it would not be as serious as like before because bakunado na tayo at least tayong lahat (because almost all of us are vaccinated),” he said.

Duterte said he would not compel unvaccinated Filipinos to get inoculated, but warned that they are at risk of serious illness and death in case they acquire the dreaded disease.

“Alam niyo kung bakit? Kayong mga hindi magpabakuna, talagang mamamatay man kayo. Sigurado iyan. Paattend attend ka diyan sa mga rally, dikit-dikit (Do you know why? To those who are unvaccinated, you will really die. That’s for sure, especially if you are attending campaign rallies that are crowded),” he said.

From April 26 to May 2, the country reported around 1,373 new Covid-19 cases, lower than the 1,509 coronavirus infections recorded last week.