No one is safe globally until everybody is safe – Duterte
No one is safe until everyone is safe, President Duterte declared Thursday amid his latest pitch for global cooperation to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The President issued the rallying call for closer cooperation in protecting public health during the arrival of over 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines in Manila.
Duterte also renewed his appeal to Filipinos to get vaccinated immediately, telling them that their cooperation is the key to reopening the economy.
The latest batch of vaccines from the global vaccine acquisition scheme will augment the country's supply to help protect Filipinos, initially health workers, from the coronavirus illness. “As I have said before, these vaccines should be treated as a global public good,” the President said during the turnover ceremony at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
“The need for international solidarity and cooperation cannot be made clearer than with this pandemic – because everyone is safe – no one is safe globally until everybody is safe,” he added.
The President has welcomed the arrival of AstraZeneca vaccines doses coursed through the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility. Duterte is also grateful for the WHO, partners and donors for the delivery of the vaccine supply to the country.
“These vaccines, manufactured by the [United Kingdom’s] AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University, will further boost our ongoing national vaccination program,” he said.
“It also comes a few days after the arrival of the donated vaccines from China and our highly successful vaccination rollout in various COVID-19 referral hospitals in the country,” he added.
Duterte likewise commended vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Department of Health “for making this possible.”
He noted that the Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of the AstraZeneca vaccines in the country early this year. Health authorities are also working with international counterparts in conducting studies on vaccine safety and efficacy. ”As we move forward, I am directing all government agencies to actively institutionalize and sustain the whole-of-government approach in addressing our country’s COVID-19 situation,” he added.
Amid the continued rise in coronavirus cases, the government is targeting to give free inoculations to 70 million Filipinos to reach herd immunity. Around 160 million vaccines are expected to be secured by the country before the end of 2021.
In his speech at the turnover ceremony for the AstraZeneca vaccines, the President asked the public to get vaccinated because this would help fight the spread of COVID-19.
“I would like to appeal to all our kababayans: Please get vaccinated against COVID-19 and be the government partner in preventing further spread of the disease,” he said Thursday evening.
“I encourage you to get vaccinated at the soonest possible time,” he added.
Duterte reassured the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and asked them to get one when they can immediately.
“These vaccines are safe and they are the key to reopening our society,” he said.
“With your cooperation, we will overcome this pandemic and ensure the health and safety of everyone,” he added.