CEBU CITY, Cebu, Sept. 13 (PIA) -- The national government agencies in Region 7 along with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against COVID-19 in the Visayas partnered with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Cebu Chapter to assist in the dissemination of correct and factual information of the vaccines and to enhance public trust in vaccination.
With the alarming spike of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases due to the Delta variant, the Philippine Information Agency Region 7 (PIA) formulated a narrative framework in terms of communication that would be effective in the response to COVID-19 and to thwart any misinformation and disinformation about the vaccines.
The PIA presented on Aug. 31 at the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC) in Mandaue City the report to the representatives of the Department of Health (DOH-7), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG-7), IATF Visayas, and KBP Cebu Chapter to further intensify demand generation of the vaccines amid the hesitancy among the public, most especially the senior citizens.
PIA-7 Regional Director Fayette Riñen said the most important aspect that the people should take into consideration is that getting vaccinated would definitely reduce a person's risk of contracting the virus that causes COVID-19, including the Delta variant, as the vaccine is highly effective at preventing severe disease and death as opposed to people who remain unvaccinated would much more likely contract, and therefore transmit the virus.
Riñen showed the advantages of getting vaccinated in other aspects which include: physical and mental health, financial woes, return of in-person education for children, and the return of economy and tourism in the region.
Visayas IATF Chief, retired Gen. Mel Feliciano, noted that the highly transmissible Delta variant - which is now the most dominant variant in the Philippines - can unknowingly affect a household and even those people who do not go out will still get infected.
Feliciano said getting vaccinated and reaching herd immunity will "spare the most vulnerable ones, especially your parents, the elderlies, the persons with comorbidities, among others."
KBP Cebu Chapter President Fr. Roberto Ebisa said "there are still some media practitioners who are not yet vaccinated" and wishes that they would all get the jab to fully advocate vaccination to their listeners.
Feliciano and Ebisa arranged for the inoculation for the remaining members of the KBP Cebu Chapter.
All of the participants of the meeting have organized and agreed to a unified narrative to counter the declining rate of vaccination.
The KBP members have also discussed the arrangement of schedules for interviews with VVOC Spokesperson Dr. Mary Jean Loreche on vaccination rollout updates, among others. (idc/PIA-7)
Comments
Post a Comment