WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
How many people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Philippines? How many have recovered, and how many have died? What is President Rodrigo Duterte doing about it?
What are the latest updates from the World Health Organization regarding the vaccines? How is the Department of Health addressing the variants, including the newly identified Omicron variant? What should the public expect in terms of the economy? What’s the status of the country’s vaccination rollout among the general public, children, and in the provinces? What about booster shots?
Bookmark and refresh this page for the latest news updates, opinion articles, and analysis pieces about the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.
LATEST UPDATES
FALSE: Government officials collect vaccination cards to erase records
Claim: The government is collecting vaccination cards so they can erase any vaccination records and protect vaccinators from legal liabilities.
Rating: FALSE
The facts: The Department of Health has instituted a digital platform where health facilities can upload information on individuals whom they have vaccinated. It doesn’t have to collect vaccination cards to copy the information contained in these. The National Privacy Commission has also advised that data collected in vaccination cards must abide by the Data Privacy Act.
Why we fact-checked this: This claim was forwarded to Rappler via email for checking. As of writing, the post has gained over 3,100 reactions, 900 comments, and 4,300 shares across different public Facebook groups.
Read the details of the fact check here.
FALSE: COVID-19 vaccines contain parasitic eggs
Claim: COVID-19 vaccine contains parasitic material.
Rating: FALSE
The facts: None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain parasitic eggs nor any parasitic materials. Vaccines typically contain an antigen that teaches our immune system to identify the virus and fight against it, as well as chemicals that maintain the integrity of the vaccines.
Why we fact-checked this: Avideo circulating on social media contains reports from alleged experts who have supposedly studied that the vaccine contains parasitic material. A copy of this video was posted on Facebook and has amassed more than 2,000 views.
Read the full fact check here.
MISSING CONTEXT: Video of DOH warning against COVID-19 booster shots
Claim: The Department of Health (DOH) warns the public against the use of COVID-19 booster shots.
Rating: MISSING CONTEXT
The facts: The video was taken from a dated news report, and the DOH has since encouraged those eligible to get COVID-19 booster shots.
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a video circulating on social media. A copy of the video that was posted on Facebook on January 28, 2022, has amassed 62,000 views, as of the time of writing.
Read the details here.
Nearly a year into PH vaccine drive, 8 regions yet to receive enough doses
Nearly a year since COVID-19 vaccine doses were made available, the Philippines continues to face a stream of challenges. While some regions like Metro Manila have covered nearly all eligible individuals in their target populations, eight or almost half of the 17 regions in the county are still far from reaching swaths of their residents.
An analysis of the data on the Philippines’ COVID-19 vaccine program, done by Rappler and public health research firm EpiMetrics, showed that supply is no longer a hurdle. Neither is people’s willingness to get vaccinated. The hurdle is in getting the vaccines beyond Metro Manila and Luzon.
Read the full story here. This is the first of a two-part series.
