Should COVID-19 jabs be required? House panel to schedule hearing soon

By Billy Begas

The House Committee on Health will start deliberating on the proposal to make vaccination mandatory.

But Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., was quick to admit that the measure could be implemented only if the country has sufficient supply of COVID-19 vaccines.

Barzaga said House Committee on Health chairperson and Quezon Rep. Angelina has vowed to start hearing his House Bill 9252 this month or next month.

The bill seeks to amend the COVID-19 Vaccination Program law and make it mandatory for persons to get vaccinated if the Department of Health (DOH) found them suitable to get the jab.

While admitting that it will be more difficult to have the measure approved now as the election fever starts to set in, Barzaga is hopeful that it will be enacted before the end of the 18th Congress next year.

He underscored the need for a “drastic” measure that is needed to counter vaccine hesitancy, which is the stumbling block to the government’s pandemic response efforts.

Barzaga admitted that the lack of COVID vaccines now will pose a challenge to the passage of his bill.

However, once the vaccine supply in the country is sufficient, Barzaga said “perhaps that’ll be the time that the law will be effective and provide for mandatory vaccination.”

“Kasi ang sabi nga ngayon, ang pagkalat nitong Delta variant nitong COVID, katulad ng chickenpox although ‘di pa masyadong established sa bansang Pilipinas but the way we look at it, ang problema natin sa COVID, ‘di nababawasan, bagkus ay lumalala,” he added.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)