FILE PHOTO: Public school teachers receive Sinovac jab during COVID-19 vaccination effort of the City Government of Manila on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at Palacio de Maynila, Roxas Boulevard. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Some 250,000 individuals in Metro Manila remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos said on Tuesday.
“Pero ‘yung sinasabi natin kung ga’no kadami, kausap ko si Sec. Vince [Dizon] kanina, siguro ballpark figure mga 100—about 250,000 more or less ‘no,” Abalos said during the Laging Handa briefing when asked about the number of unvaccinated individuals in Metro Manila.
(When talking about how many are unvaccinated, I have talked to Sec. Vince earlier, the ballpark figure is around 100–250,000 more or less.)
While some local government units (LGUs) reached more than 100-percent vaccination status, not all vaccinees are resident in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“Kasi sa atin, alam naman natin, very porous ang Metro Manila. Ang daming nagpupunta sa ‘tin, mga kapitbahay natin,” he said.
(We know that Metro Manila is very porous. Many people from neighboring areas enter the region.)
“Lumalabas nga sa bakuna ‘yung ibang LGUs is more than 100 percent. But let us keep in mind, nagbakuna tayo even though ‘yung mga hindi residente ng taga-NCR, maski ‘yung mga trabahador natin sa mga different establishments ‘no,” explained Abalos.
(Figures present that some LGUs reached more than 100-percent vaccination coverage. But let us keep in mind, we are vaccinating even those who are not residents of NCR, but are workers in different establishments.)
On Monday, the MMDA announced that Metro Manila mayors agreed to limit the mobility of unvaccinated individuals.
Under the Metro Manila Council resolution, unvaccinated individuals must stay at their houses. They are only allowed to go outside to procure and avail essential goods and services.
Unvaccinated workers are likewise permitted to report for work on-site, provided that they present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test, at their own expense, every two weeks.
When asked if individuals who have an allergy with the vaccine’s ingredients or those who have an underlying medical condition that cannot get a vaccine could be exempted from the order, Abalos answered in the affirmative.
“Well, ‘yung mga ganu’ng bagay (that kind of thing), they should really be exempted, ‘no. Of course, that’s very understandable, that’s medical condition,” he said.
As of January 3, some 50.1 million individuals are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) data showed.
Metro Manila is currently under Alert Level 3 due to swelling COVID-19 cases.
The DOH recently recorded 4,084 new COVID-19 fresh infections, bringing the overall case count to 2,855,819.