Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion again pushed for more lenient protocols for fully vaccinated individuals instead of lockdowns.
“We are protecting the unvaccinated… This is being done in Singapore, Indonesia, Europe,” said Concepcion.
According to the entrepreneurs’ proposal, more places will be allowed to be visited by the vaccinated than those who have not been vaccinated.
In addition to leaving home to work, they can also go to malls and other establishments that the government can open to operate.
They can also dine in at restaurants.
Traders are also in talks with the DOTr for possible vehicle separation of vaccinated and non-vaccinated vehicles.
But Health Secretary Francisco Duque is skeptical, it is possible to question its legality.
“But subject to legal challenge ‘yan kaya this needs to be addressed by DOJ (Department of Justice). Baka kasi maharap ang IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) sa mga discrimination charges,” said Duque.
Last week, the data gathered and analyzed by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group showed most of those who develop severe and critical COVID-19 are those who have not been vaccinated.
More lenient protocols for fully vaccinated urged
According to data from the Lung Center of the Philippines, of the 146 patients admitted as of August 16, 108 have not been vaccinated.
That is, most or 7 out of every 10 COVID-19 patients there do not yet have the vaccine.
Ten percent have been 1 dose or partially vaccinated, and 16 percent are fully vaccinated.
Investigating the same data by epidemiologist Dr. John Wong, it appears that the vaccine is given protection even when it is only 1 dose.
“The difference is small because they are only partially vaccinated, so they only have partial immunity. Pero the vaccine is still effective kasi there is a decrease in severe disease,” said Wong.
“But of course, it is better to be fully vaccinated kasi your protection against severe disease goes up to 86 percent,” he said.
Currently, almost 13 million Filipinos have been vaccinated by the national government.
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