MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said that individuals hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine should be inoculated while asleep.
“Alam ko marami pang ayaw eh. Ayan ang problema, ‘yung ayaw magpabakuna. Kaya hanapin ninyo ‘yan sa barangay ninyo. Akyatin natin ‘pag tulog at turukin natin [habang] tulog para makumpleto ‘yung istorya,” Duterte said during his Talk to the People aired on Tuesday.
(I know many people are still hesitant. That’s the problem, those people who do not want to get vaccinated. That’s why find them in your barangays. Let’s enter their houses and vaccinate them while asleep so the story’s complete.)
“Kung ayaw ‘di akyatin sa bahay. Tusukin natin sa gabi. Ako ang mag-ano. I will lead the journey,” he added.
(If they don’t want to, let’s go to their house. Let’s vaccinate them at night.)
Duterte also advised the people to have themselves vaccinated, wear a mask, and observe physical distancing as these measures will curb the spread of COVID-19.
“Lahat ng pinag-uusapan namin dito [Everything we’re discussing here] and all the hours of talking to you and presenting what is happening to our society can be best answered by tatlo lang, tatlo lang talaga [three things only]: bakuna, mag-maskara ka, iwas [vaccine, wear a mask, avoid others]. That is all there is to it,” the president said.
“Lahat ng pinagdadaldal namin dito would converge into one single sentence. Kaya ‘yan na lang ang ipagbilin ko sa’yo na sana sundin ninyo kasi ‘yan na lang talaga ang pampawala ng sakit ng ulo sa bayan natin. Magpabakuna,” Duterte went on.
(Everything we’re saying here would converge into one single sentence. My advice is to follow as it will ease our headaches. Have yourselves vaccinated.)
As of October 10, around 23.1 million individuals in the country are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
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