FILE PHOTO: Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto. Image from his Twitter post
As COVID-19 vaccination for children 5 to 11 years old started, many kids have already visited inoculation sites to get protection against the severe respiratory disease.
And like any vaccination drive involving children, the sight of kids reluctant of getting the shot, fearing the pain caused by needles, is common.
Taking a break from his political campaign, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto encountered such a kid during the local government’s rollout of pediatric vaccination, and he made his best effort to calm the child the only way he knows how—by being witty.
In a Twitter post, Sotto recounted that the 10-year-old child was scared of getting the shot that they had to wait for him for five minutes to calm down.
“He got scared. We waited for him for five minutes to calm down. I told him I won’t leave until he gets vaccinated,” he tweeted.
To soothe and encourage the child, Sotto talked to him, telling him that it won’t hurt, at least not just yet.
“To encourage him, I told him that it would only hurt for one second. The real pain will be felt until later that night,” he said.
Sotto seemed successful, though, because the child eventually got vaccinated, as seen in the accompanying photo he posted.
Netizens amused
Many netizens were amused by the mayor’s sense of humor and were quick to comment.“Please don’t try this on people older than 10, Mayor. They may hold the line forever. XD,” one netizen wrote.
Some netizens asked Sotto if the mayor could accompany them when they get vaccinated or get their booster shots.
“Mayor can you please accompany me, too? I’m afraid of getting hurt,” another netizen wrote.
“Mayor, I will also get a booster shot. Don’t leave my side also,” another one tweeted.Sotto later announced that Pasig City was able to inoculate 1,650 kids against COVID-19 on Wednesday, Feb. 9.