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MANILA, Philippines – As the coronavirus is poised to linger around the world, fewer Filipinos are skeptical about getting vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in December 2021.

Based on the results of the SWS survey conducted from December 12 to 16, 2021 and released on Thursday, January 20, unwillingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine fell from 18% of respondents in September 2021 to just 8% by December. The portion of respondents who were uncertain about getting vaccinated likewise fell from 19% in September to 6% in December. 

Of the 8% who were unwilling, 7% said they would “surely not” get vaccinated while 1% said they would “probably not.”

Of those still unvaccinated at the time the survey was conducted, SWS found that 35% said they were willing to get vaccinated. This included 33% who said they would “surely” get vaccinated and 3% who would “probably” get vaccinated. 

The survey also showed that at least 50% of Fiipinos adults said they got at least one vaccine dose. “This total consists of 38% reporting they received two doses of the vaccine and 13% reporting they received one dose, correctly rounded,” the SWS said.

“The percentage of those reporting they got at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has steadily increased from 10% (3% two doses, 7% one dose) in June 2021 and 35% (25% two doses, 10% one dose) in September 2021,” it added.

Where vaccine skepticism fell

The SWS found that the percentage of those unwilling to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in December 2021 fell in all areas across the country, across all educational levels, and all age groups, compared to the survey three months earlier, in September.

• Unwillingness in Metro Manila decreased from 7% to 4%
• Unwillingness in Balance Luzon decreased from 15% to 8%
• Unwillingness in Visayas decreased from 24% to 15%
• Unwillingness in Mindanao decreased from 25% to 8%

Among those still unvaccinated, the portion of those willing to get vaccinated rose between September and December 2021 in Balance Luzon (from 29% to 35%), Mindanao (29% to 46%), and Visayas (35% to 38%). However, it fell in Metro Manila from 16% to 13% during same time period. 

The SWS found the following sentiments among educational levels, from September to December 2021:

• Unwillingness among college graduates fell from 9% to 4%
• Unwillingness among junior high school graduates fell from 15% to 4%
• Unwilling among elementary graduates fell slightly from 18% to 14%
• Unwillingness among non-elementary graduates fell from 36% to 20% 

The SWS found the following sentiments among age groups from September 2021 to December 2021: 

• Unwillingness among 18 to 24-year-olds dropped from 14% to 6%
• Unwillingness among 25 to 34-year-olds dropped from  17% to 5%
• Unwillingness among 35 to 44-year-olds dropped from 17% to 6%
• Unwillingness among 45 to 54-year-olds dropped from 20% to 8%
• Unwillingness among those aged 55 and above dropped slightly from 18% to 14%

More Filipinos are getting vaccinated against as the national government targets to inoculate 90% of the country’s total population by June 2022. So far, at least 50% of Filipinos have been fully vaccinated. 

The urgency of quickly increasing vaccine coverage grows as the hypertransmissible Omicron variant has fueled an explosive growth in cases in Metro Manila, with all 16 other regions reporting increasing case trends in recent weeks.

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The non-commissioned Fourth Quarter 2021 SWS survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,440 adults nationwide – 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The sampling error margins are ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5.2% for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. – Rappler.com