DOH on vaccination: ‘People have autonomy at the end of the day’

Residents undergo counseling before receiving their first dose of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Barangay Sucat Covered Court, in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines, June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reiterated on Thursday that “people have autonomy at the end of the day” regarding COVID-19 vaccination, days after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to arrest and jail people who refuse to get inoculated despite the limited number of available doses.

“What is clear to us as medical practitioners and in the health sector is that people have autonomy at the end of the day. That’s why they get to determine what medical procedure they go into, etcetera,” Dr. Beverly Ho, Concurrent Director IV of the DOH Health Promotion Bureau, said in an online press briefing when asked how the DOH could convince people to get vaccinated even if vaccination is not mandatory.

“We respect that autonomy but also have the responsibility to continuously inform the general public that this decision (to get vaccinated) has to be done for their betterment and the safety of the people around them and the entire community,” she added.

Ho noted that the DOH’s efforts to convince the public to get vaccinated hinge on “strong demand generation” through information dissemination.

“These are not just above-the-line information dissemination activities or what you would expect traditionally, the TV commercials, radio commercials, but it’s really a lot of interpersonal convincing,” said Ho.

“With that we recognize that we can’t do it alone as DOH nor as healthcare professionals alone, so all of us have a role to play,” she added.

The DOH has been reiterating that vaccination should be voluntary, but on Monday, Duterte threatened to order the arrest of people who will refuse the anti-COVID vaccines.

“Don’t get me wrong. There is a crisis being faced in this country. There is a national emergency. If you don’t want to be vaccinated, I will have you arrested. And the vaccine will be injected into your butt,” he said during his weekly national television address.

Other government officials were quick to clarify the President’s statement. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte’s warning was meant to emphasize what the government could do during a public health emergency.

Roque and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also said a law is needed to penalize people who will refuse vaccination.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, meanwhile, explained that Duterte was just airing his “exasperation” when he warned that those refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 could be arrested.

/MUF