FORMER Philippine National Police-turned 2022 senatorial candidate Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar yesterday called anew on Filipinos to be vaccinated and get the booster shot as he remained in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 virus this week.

The ex-top cop who happened to be asymptomatic tested positive for the virus last week and immediately went on home isolation in accordance with protocols from the Department of Health.

“In this regard, I enjoin the public to get their jabs and booster shots as soon as these are available because this is what the government’s vaccination program is all about — to prevent serious effects of COVID infection,” said the ex-PNP chief who is running under the Partido Reporma of the presidential candidate, Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson who also used to be a former PNP chief.

Eleazar has also batted for the improvement of online health consultations or “telemedicine” amid the continuing increase in the number of COVID-19 infections.

“Kung hindi hihigpitan ang alert level status lalo na sa Metro Manila, tingin ko’y dapat mas palakasin pa ng mga local government units and kanilang ‘telemedicine’,” he said.

“Karamihan sa kaso ng COVID-19 ay mild at hindi kailangang i-ospital kaya mas mainam rin siguro na dito na lamang sila magpaconsult online upang hindi ma-overwhelm ang ating mga ospital,” he added.

Eleazar also said he fully trusts the wisdom of the country’s health experts when it comes to the quarantine status. He, however, appealed to them to prevent the overwhelming of hospitals as healthcare workers are also infected with COVID-19.

“Pati mga medical frontliners natin ay nagkakasakit na rin dahil sa bilis ng hawaan ng COVID-19. Ito ang apela natin sa pamahalaan na hindi dapat pabayaan ang kaligtasan ng ating mga healthcare workers. Kung pati sila ay nagkakasakit na rin, mas mahihirapan tayong sugpuin ang pandemya,” Eleazar said.

As the national government prepares to vaccinate children from 5 to 11 years old, Eleazar urged parents and guardians to have their kids vaccinated amid the threat of the Omicron variant.

“Sa mga magulang na nag-aalangan na pabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak, malaki ang benepisyo ng pagkakaroon ng bakuna dahil bukod sa mas malakas na proteksyon laban sa COVID, ang bakuna ang magsisilbing passport ng inyong mga anak upang makalabas ulit ng bahay at maging normal ulit ang lahat,” he said.

Eleazar explained that normalization remains the priority of the national government and when that time comes, the vaccination of children is one of the game-changers in the economic recovery as there would be a need for public spending that can be contributed by a family with kids.

The senatorial candidate urged people who remain unvaccinated to avail of free inoculation against COVID-19 citing the implementation of stricter policies that focus on restricting the movement of the unvaccinated.

“Sa mga nag-aalangan pa rin na magpabakuna, buhay pa kaming mga naunang nagpabakuna, hindi zombie at mas malakas ang resistensya laban sa COVID. Huwag tayong maniwala sa mga conspiracy theory dahil ang katotohanan ay mahigit 80 porsyento ng mga nasa ICU na tinamaan ng COVID ay yung mga hindi bakunado,” said Eleazar.

The retired police general also emphasized effective information dissemination on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination to encourage parents or guardians to have their children inoculated.

He said local government units (LGUs) play a crucial role in information dissemination to convince family members that vaccination is one of the most effective and safest ways to protect young ones against the deadly COVID-19.