DESPITE the death of two frontliners a few days after receiving anti-COVID 19 vaccines in Kidapawan City, Cotabato, the Integrated Provincial Health Officer (IPHO) has appealed to the people not to be afraid as the vaccines are completely safe.
IPHO Eva Rabaya said in a press conference recently that there is nothing to worry about the vaccines being used in the country as it is not the cause of the death of two frontliners who were also immunized against COVID 19 last March 25.
Fear gripped a lot of people in the province after those deaths were quickly spread and rumored as caused by the vaccines.
Although Rabaya admitted that there is still no result in the investigation of the deaths of the frontliners, she nevertheless reiterated the vaccines were not the cause of such deaths. This was further confirmed as quoted from respective family members’ pronouncements that those deaths were caused by other other diseases.
“Our vaccines are safe,” Rabaya reiterated, “in fact many other countries are using the kind of vaccines that we are using here in the Philippines.”
The provincial IPHO appealed to the people of Cotabato not to believe in the false information that they hear.
She said that people should listen to what government authorities are saying, particularly the health authorities and not from “fake news.”
Rabaya said the provincial health office intends to immunize at least 70 percent of the province’s population in order to achieve herd immunity effect.
Meantime, immunization against COVID 19 continued in Cotabao, particularly those working in private clinics, funeral parlors, pharmacies and members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and those working in orphanage.
Rabaya also said that they also have continued to give the second dose of Sinovac vaccine Mlang Hospital, City Hospital in Kidapawan and Mindanao Doctors Hospital in Kabacan Municipality.
Of the targeted 16,000 people to be immunized, only about 12,000 have received anti-COVID 19 vaccine so far. (Liezle Añon Banga)
