Manila opts for transparency, to name vaccine brand on-site

CROWD DRAWER Vaccination sites offering the US-made Pfizer jabs draw large crowds, such as this one outside the Prince Hotel in Ermita, Manila. Authorities have warned against potential superspreader events as the government ramps up the rollout of vaccines. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said people lining up for the COVID-19 vaccine would be allowed to ask what brand and kind of vaccines are being given at a particular site because it respects their right to their own health.

Moreno made the statement on Thursday as the national government kicked off the “brand agnostic” COVID-19 vaccination program, which requires that the vaccines’ names be withheld before jabs.

READ: ‘Brand agnostic’ vaccination eyed after big Pfizer crowd 

The brand-agnostic vaccination comes after people crammed at jab sites for Pfizer vials, which many preferred as attested in surveys and interviews.

Won’t let people down

According to Moreno, the national government’s policy wouldn’t contradict his promise to let people pick their own vaccine.

“Hindi po, while sinunod natin ‘yong national government kasi kailangan in-sync tayo ano, pero ito mga kababayan, teka muna, hindi naman sinabi ng national government na iturok sayo kung ano ‘yong gustong iturok sa’yo,” Moreno said.

(No, because while we follow the national government as we have to be in sync, the national government did not mention that their preferred vaccine should be injected into you.)

“Kapag naka-deploy ‘yong bakuna — hindi man namin sinaad — kung kayo doon napunta sa bakunahan […] hindi naman ipinagbabawal na magtanong ka kung ano ang bakunang dine-deploy,” he added.

(If they deploy the vaccines, it is not stated that you could no longer ask health officials about what kind of vaccines they are administering.)

Also, the local executive said they would let people choose what vaccine they want.

“Kaya malaya pa rin kayong makakapamili.  Halimbawa, bakunahan A, ito brand A, hindi mo type, pa’no mo malalaman?  Pagdating mo do’n, pwede kang magtanong at pwede kang lumipat […] Hassle nga lang sa inyo,” he explained.

(That’s why you can still the vaccine of preference.  For example, in vaccination site A, brand A is being administered, but you do not like it.  When you arrive there, you can ask and then maybe shift to another area, although it would be a hassle.)

“But at the same time we can adapt to the ruling without violating our principle or policy, hindi kayo pinagbabawalang mamili ng bakuna sa Maynila sapagkat ako po ay naniniwala — personal po itong paniniwala ko — karapatan ng tao na makapamili ng brand na gusto niya sapagkat katawan niya ‘yon,” he added.

(But at the same time, we can adapt to the ruling without violating our principle or policy, you are not barred from picking the vaccine of choice in Manila because I believe — and this is a personal belief — that it is the right of the people to pick the brand he or she prefers because that is his or her body.)

After the Pfizer vaccines were rolled out earlier this week, crowds swarmed lines dedicated to the said brand in hopes of getting inoculated with the most preferred brand.

READ: 61% of Pinoys say no to vaccines; safety concerns cited top reason — Pulse Asia 

However, this led to crowding as people, whether registered or not, raced to get a chance at being inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine.  Health experts warned that crowded vaccination sites could become a super spreader event, contradicting the goal of immunizations which is to reduce possible COVID-19 cases.

READ: Crowds at Pfizer vaccination sites possible ‘superspreaders’ – health reform advocate 

READ: LGUs no longer allowed to disclose vaccine brands in advance – DILG 

People’s preferences come first

Moreno said that despite the recent orders from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), they would find a way to respect the people’s preferences.

Still, he maintained that the best vaccine is what is available, as all have been proven to avoid severe COVID-19 cases.

“Katawan mo ‘yan, karapatan mong mapangalagaan na ang ituturok sa’yo ay kung saan ka panatag at naniniwala, kung ang sitwasyon ay maraming brand ang naka-deploy.  ‘Yan, patuloy kong igagalang,” he noted.

(That’s your body, it’s your right to take care of yourself and know that what would be injected into you is something you are at ease with if the situation is that several vaccines are being deployed.  That, I would continue to respect.)

“Pero habang ‘yon ay nirerespeto ko, gabi-gabi pinauulit-ulit ko bilang ama ng lungsod, na paglinawin ang kaisipan ng tao, na ang bakunang mabisa ay bakunang nasa braso mo,” he added.

(But while I respect that, I am trying to repeat this as the father of the city, to clarify to the public that the effective vaccine is the one on your arm.)

READ: PH’s active cases top 51,000-mark with 6,100 new infections 

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