Health and politics

WHEN news about the arrival of the first batch of vaccines, a donation of 600,000 vials of Sinovac from China government, one could not help but sense mixed feelings towards it in our communities.

Most everyone asked themselves “Should I take it?” Others had to feel self-assured and asked others, “Will you take Sinovac vaccine?” But perhaps if the vaccine were not Sinovac from China, there would be less anxiety about it being administered to anyone, particularly our medical frontliners.

Unfortunately, there has been a derisive reference to the word “China” since the Philippines lost the Scarborough shoal to China by default, without a single shot fired. That incident had since cut deeply into the emotions of many Filipinos that resulted in hostile view of anything that originates from China. And even the Sinovac donation, an act of charity and friendship from China, was not spared.

The bashing of Sinovac’s supposed poor efficacy early on without fully understanding the scientific benefits, added fuel to the sense of mistrust of Sinovac.

But as one may have expected, too, since nothing deadly could have resulted from being inoculated with Sinovac, the medical frontliners’ initial resistance was eventually overcome by positive reports from the rollout. From 750 takers, the roll out had risen to thousands more  in 48  hours.

It was a needless feeling of aggravation, simply because we allowed a serious health issue and concern to be influenced by an irrelevant political issue among friendly nations.

Philippines battle against COVID-19 is no different from China’s own battle. The only difference is China has more resources, while we don’t but China has shown it is willing to share it generously as a friend.

No jab, no job

COVID-19 kills.  That has been as obvious as Manny Pacquiao wanting to run for President in 2022.  So, if the virus is that deadly as science tells us repeatedly, why don’t we kill it before it kills us?  Let’s get vaccinated, now, because, again, science says the vaccine does not only block the virus from infecting us, it also defeats death 100 percent.  Why many of our labor force still refuse to be vaccinated is the result of lack of proper information dissemination.  Several company owners, irked by their employees’ stubborn refusal to get inoculated, have espoused the “no jab, no job” scheme if only to force vaccine acceptance.  That is illegal but it looks logical. An entire workforce vaccinated is every company’s surest way to cheat death.  One single employee not inoculated can be a virus-carrier.  A potential killer on the loose.  Only a fool would want that.

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