President ‘joked’

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was joking when he suggested people reluctant to be vaccinated against Covid-19 should be inoculated while they sleep, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

The remark was made this week when Duterte complained that the country’s vaccination effort was hindered by those hesitant to be inoculated.

“Yes, it was a joke,” Roque told a virtual briefing.

To date, the country has logged nearly 2.7 million cases and just more than 40 000 deaths.