A Department of Health (DOH) official admitted that the healthcare workers have experienced difficulties in convincing people to get inoculated against COVID-19 despite going to their house.

"Our health workers are having a hard time convincing people. Many of us already conducted house-to-house because that is what we want but even though they visited the house there are people who refuse to get the vaccination," Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in a radio interview on Sunday.

This was the result of the fourth national vaccination day, which was held from March 10-12.

Cabotaje said many who refused to be vaccinated, especially senior citizens, became complacent because of the decreasing number of cases.

"We have what we called complacency because they think there is no longer need to get vaccinated. Many of our citizens have not yet received their first two doses of vaccine especially the seniors. We are experiencing difficulties in convincing them. They were saying that they do not have anywhere else to go but there so there is no need for them to get vaccinated," she said.

Cabotaje said only 44 percent or 836,000 out of their target of 1.8 million population were vaccinated during the first two days of mass vaccination, which started on March 10.

Data shows 359,546 were jabbed as second doses and booster shots were 273, 701.

Another 202,915 doses were given as first shots, said the DOH. Cabotaje said only 23,868 senior citizens were inoculated since Thursday.

She said the low turnout was also caused by the bad weather and flooding incidents in Regions 8,9,10,11, and 12.

"In BARMM their output is low; 15,000 for BARMM and 14,000 for MIMAROPA in past two days," she said. Robina Asido/DMS