DOH exec wants anti-vax campaign of US Pentagon uncovered

This file photo shows a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca. INQUIRER/RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Reports revealing the alleged secret anti-inoculation campaign of the United States (US) military, aiming to cast doubt about the safety of vaccines supplied by China in the country, must be probed and heard by the appropriate authorities, according to an official of the Department of Health (DOH).

DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo was talking about the special report published by Reuters revealing the alleged campaign by the US Pentagon during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“The findings by Reuters deserve to be investigated and heard by the appropriate authorities of the involved countries,” Domingo told reporters on Sunday.

The report claimed that the anti-vaccine effort began in 2020 and “expanded beyond Southeast Asia before it was terminated in mid-2021” and used “a combination of fake social media accounts on multiple platforms to spread fear of China’s vaccines.”

“Through phony internet accounts meant to impersonate Filipinos, the military’s propaganda efforts morphed into an anti-vax campaign. Social media posts decried the quality of face masks, test kits, and the first vaccine that would become available in the Philippines – China’s Sinovac inoculation,” the report said.

Domingo, however, pointed out that “vaccination decisions among Filipinos are determined by their age, educational attainment, health insurance, employer requirement, high awareness of the disease, and a high level of vaccine confidence,” citing a study published under the scientific journal BMC Public Health.