Northern Samar: Local dialect information-dissemination on COVID-19 vaccination

The COVID-19 vaccination program of the Philippine government is being met with distrust and high hesitancy rate. This is primarily due to the Dengvaxia scare; fear of vaccine efficacy particularly of Sinovac Biontech's Coronavac; the national government's problematic communications plan and execution; and, the hesitancy of national government officials to be vaccinated in public thereby instilling more fear and distrust among the population.

To help address the issues of hesitancy and distrust on vaccines, the Provincial Information Office of the Province of Northern Samar created a video with Dr. Rommel C. Francisco, the Provincial Health Officer explaining what the COVID-19 vaccine is all about and the order of prioritization for inoculation. The video is being circulated in social media and uses Waray, the mother tongue of the people of Northern Samar, so that even the ordinary people will understand.

Watch the video below.

 Source: Northern Samar Provincial Information Office