Testing ‘vaccine bubbles’ in NCR cities with high vaccination rates pushed

In a vaccine bubble, only fully vaccinated people can enter the establishment, such as malls. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion on Thursday proposed testing “vaccine bubbles,” or easing restrictions for vaccinated people, in Metro Manila cities that have achieved high vaccination rates.

Testing the concept in cities with high vaccination rates could help solve the problem of how to reopen the economy safely while simultaneously boosting the public’s confidence in vaccination, according to Concepcion.

“We can implement the Bakuna Bubble concept in an LGU in NCR with a high vaccination rate to test if the model will work,” Concepcion said in a statement.

In a vaccine bubble, only fully vaccinated people can enter the establishment.

Concepcion explained that the idea also “requires unvaccinated persons to present a negative antigen or RT-PCR test before entering high-risk establishments such as restaurants, salons, coffee shops, gyms, etc.”

“The presence of the Delta variant has changed the game, but the key objectives of vaccines—preventing hospitalization, deaths, and transmission—remain the same. Those fully vaccinated have a slimmer chance of contracting severe infections and that is for certain,” he noted.

In Metro Manila, 46 percent of its eligible population have already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

READ: Almost 46 % of eligible population in NCR now fully vaccinated — MMDA

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said “vaccine bubbles” could work but the region should first vaccinate more people to prevent discrimination against unvaccinated individuals.

READ: ‘Vaccine bubbles’ seen viable once Metro Manila hits inoculation goal