Vaccinated elderlies urged to stay home until ‘population protection’ vs COVID-19 achieved

MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 are still encouraged to stay at home until the Philippines achieves population protection, Malacañang said Monday.

Even though the COVID-19 vaccine can prevent serious cases and death due to the disease, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said senior citizens remain “especially vulnerable” amid the pandemic.

“Yung pagpapalabas po after the vaccination, tingin ko po depende yan kung maaachieve na natin yung population protection,” Roque said in an online briefing.

(Allowing them to go out after the vaccination, I think it will depend on our progress to achieve population protection.)

“So let’s veer on the safer side na hanggang wala pa pong population protection, di pa natin nababakunahan ang 70 percent ng populasyon, stay at home muna po ang mga lolo’t lola,” he added.

(Let’s veer on the safer side that until we achieve population protection, we haven’t vaccinated 70 percent of our population, grandfathers and grandmothers are encouraged to stay at home.)

Roque also noted that senior citizens are not absolutely prohibited from going outside.

“Pwede po silang lumabas para bilihin yung mga kinakailangan nila. Pinapayagan sila mag-exercise dahil importante naman talaga ang exercise sa health promotions dahil kinakailangan manatiling malusog laban sa COVID-19,” he said.

(They are allowed to go out to buy their needs, they are allowed to exercise because this is important in remaining healthy to fight against COVID-19.)

The government’s COVID-19 task force has been urged to ease protocols on vaccinated senior citizens.

JE