Galvez now favors making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory

FILE PHOTO: Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, National Task Force against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (NTF COVID-19) chief implementer and vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. JOEY DALUMPINES/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. is now in favor of making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in the country.

Galvez said Thursday that such a policy will ensure that the public will be safe from the severe respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“Yes, I’m in favor. Nakita natin ‘yung higher interest [of being vaccinated] in the pandemic. Everyone is not safe if everyone is not safe, meaning kapag lahat tayo vaccinated, doon lang tayo magkakaroon ng safety and protection,” he said in an interview over ABS CBN News Channel.

(We see that there is a higher interest in being vaccinated in the pandemic. We will only be safe when everyone is vaccinated.)

Galvez earlier thumbed down proposals to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory, citing vaccine supply problems.

He, however, said a law should be enacted in order to enforce it.

“Talagang we’re at risk if we will not vaccinate everybody and we’ll have a sizable amount of 20 million people roaming around, those anti-vaxxers roaming around, it will threaten those that are vaccinated,” Galvez said.

Malacañang earlier said a law mandating COVID-19 vaccination is not needed just yet as the nation’s COVID-19 vaccine supply has just started arriving in bulk last month.

Meanwhile, there was a push for mandatory vaccination of workers in certain sectors.

KGA