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Why Gen Z Can't Wait to Get Their COVID Vaccines

Eagerly waiting at the end of the line.
by Clara Rosales
6 hours ago
Photo/s: Jerome Ascaño
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Jorge De Leon, an incoming agriculture biotech student, helped hesitant family members sign up for COVID vaccines as he waits for his turn at the far end of the queue. He can't lose his family and his 20s to the virus that has claimed thousands of lives and put the rest of the world on indefinite pause.

At the start of the pandemic, De Leon saw how three in his family got COVID-19, all of whom have recovered and are now vaccinated. His eagerness for the jab is shared by many in Gen Z, who see immunization as symbolic of the end of the pandemic.

While Gen Z makes up 40% of the population, they fall behind health workers, seniors, persons with comorbidities, economic frontliners and indigents in the priority list. For the meantime, they're doing their part by convicing their elders to get jabbed. 

“I feel that I'm wasting my early 20 years. It's unfair. If getting the vaccine makes it easier for me and others to finally be able to actually do something with our lives then why wouldn't I get the vaccine?” said Carmela Ruiz, a Development Studies graduate of the Ateneo De Manila University.

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Ruiz, like De Leon, finished her last few laps of school online and graduated without hat throws and hugs two months ago.

For Trizsa Ty, it took several arguments with their COVID survivor mother to convince her to get vaccinated. 

“We tried to give her as much information as we can. About the vaccines, information to address her specific concerns, stories from people who got vaccinated and also our own feelings on the matter,” she said.

Counting losses

Ty, who got to walk around the UP Diliman campus for only one and half years during her four-year program, felt she missed out on so many life experiences.

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“My little sister is starting high school. I want her to have the opportunity to experience face to face high school days and a more complete college experience than I'm having now,” Ty said, noting the financial and academic tolls of online classes on students nationwide.

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Though robbed of campus life, De Leon, Ruiz and Ty know there are much greater losses that the country had to bear just to get by.

“At this point we might be immune to the numbers and often forget that there are people behind them,” Ty said, noting how thousands of Filipinos have lost their jobs and loved ones.

The DOH tallied a record-high 17,231 cases in a single day on Aug. 20. Hospitals are filling up again and demoralized medical staff are resigning after more than a year of dismal working conditions.

Better response

If they were to judge based on what they see and experience, all three believe logistics is keeping the country from meeting its goal of inoculating at least 50 million people by the end of the year.

Ruiz expressed frustration at the national government’s pandemic response. “It's so easy to feel deflated and defeated because of the national government’s response. Slow, unclear, inconsistent, and frustrating.”

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“The government's really slow with their response to the pandemic kahit na ang daming pondo napupunta in these operations,” De Leon said.

The DOH is currently under fire for mishandling P67 billion in pandemic funds, as reported by the Commission on Audit. 

MORE ON P67 BILLION:

What Can Be Bought with P67 Billion DOH Budget?

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“Even now when vaccination programs are happening all over the country, it's not the masses being hesitant to be vaccinated that hinders us but the poor vaccine distribution,” Ty said.

Everyone has the right to decline the vaccine, but Ty said she disagrees with forcing people to get vaccinated.

President Rodrigo Duterte in one of his nightly addresses threatened to jail people who refused to get vaccinated.

Ty said a lot of people may not know how vaccines work, but explaining things and providing them with correct informationcould convince them to get the vaccine out of their own volition.

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'Please get vaccinated'

All three agree that it’s more than just wanting to get vaccinated—it’s backed by science and could end the lockdown sooner than later. It’s for themselves and others too.

“To protect oneself is to protect those around you as well,” Ruiz said. “I trust health professionals and research that has backed up the importance of getting the vaccine so I definitely find it of utmost importance to get vaccinated,” she added.

“Please don’t close your mind about the possibility of getting vaccinated. This isn't only for their protection but for the protection of your family and friends and the people you meet,” Ty said.

“Please get vaccinated. People who don't get vaccinated are one of the reasons why a lot of people get sick and die every day. Please think about the people you interact with on a daily basis and always fact check anti-vax propaganda,” De Leon said.

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For Gen Z spending more than a year cooped up at home, any promise of surviving the virus outweighs all the possible negatives.

MORE ON VACCINES:

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“Most of my friends are dying just to get the vaccine,” De Leon said. “They're actually pretty disappointed at the adults choosing not to get vaccinated and follow the protocols.”

Ruiz said all her friends want to get vaccinated with "no hesitation.”

“All of my friends want to get vaccinated,” Ty said, adding that almost all her friends have already signed up and are just waiting to be called.

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