Malacañang is not in favor of a senator’s proposal to allow fully vaccinated senior citizens to go out.
At the same time, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that the ban on senior citizens from leaving home is not “absolute” because they are allowed to buy their necessities and exercise.
But he said the permanent release of senior citizens over the age of 65 depends on whether population protection can be achieved.
He said it is not only those who have the vaccine who should have protection, if not the majority of the population, because the vaccine still does not guarantee that COVID-19 will not hit.
He said the vaccine only guarantees that they will not get seriously ill, but the situation of the elderly is different.
Roque also reminded that the effect of the vaccine on a healthy youth is different than that of an adult, so senior citizens should still “stay at home
Last week, Senator Cynthia Villar supported allowing senior citizens who completed their vaccination against COVID-19.
Allowing fully vaccinated senior citizens to go out opposed by Malacañang
According to Eric Teng, president of Restaurant Owners of the Philippines, seniors are now allowed to go out to open restaurants in the United States and Israel.
Villar supported Teng’s position that this could be done in the Philippines as well.
“Lowest infection in the US is 30,000 per day. Malaki ‘yun, kasi ang US 300 million (ang population), 30,000 per day. Tayo nga na walang herd immunity, ang ano (record) natin, 6,000 out of 100 million. ‘Yung 30,000 parang 10,000 per 100 million ‘yun. Mas mababa pa tayo sa US,” Villar explained.
“Bakit sila open sa lahat? Tayo e ang higpit higpit, ‘di ba?” she added.
But Senator Binay explained that the US and Israel will soon achieve their “herd immunity” against COVID-19.
Binay said that it is possible to allow the elderly to leave the house once the workers on the A4 priority list have been vaccinated.
“Siguro ‘pag nandiyan na ‘yung A4, because ‘yung seniors natin, pwede silang mag-spread ng virus, kasi ‘di ba, kahit vaccinated ka na, you can still get the virus, asymptomatic, but you’re spreading,” Binay explained.
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