Bishop bucks ‘agnostic’ vaccine policy
Health workers administer Covid-19 vaccines at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Church in Kamuning, Quezon City on May 17, 2021. The church has been tapped as one of the vaccination sites in Metro Manila. PHOTO FROM THE PARISH
By CBCP News
May 24, 2021
Manila, Philippines
A Catholic bishop has joined the clamor against the “brand agnostic” inoculation policy of the government.
Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines said that vaccine transparency requires transparency.
“By the looks of it, it’s not just,” said Florencio who is also the vice chairman of the bishops’ Commission on Health Care at Radio Veritas on Monday.
The Department of Health earlier announced a plan not to announce the brand of Covid-19 vaccine to be administered to prevent overcrowding in vaccination sites.
The move was triggered following reports that crowds trooped to vaccination areas where US-made Pfizer vaccines are used.
Meanwhile, inoculation sites in Metro Manila where China’s Sinovac is offered have shorter queues.
The bishop said the public’s right to choose should prevail.
“We should know which vaccines we are being inoculated with,” he said.
Amid concerns even from some senators and other government officials, the DOH said it is open to reviewing the policy.
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