IATF studying incentives for vaccinated individuals

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases is looking into suggestions made by the private sector to encourage individuals to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., some of the incentives the private sector suggested were the following:

• Allow companies right not to hire unvaccinated applicants
• Require RT-PCR tests for unvaccinated existing employees at their own expense
• Mandatory vaccines for healthcare workers, school employees, public transport workers, civil servants, and for 4Ps
• Mandatory vaccinations for unrestricted access to public transport, travel, restaurants, and tourism establishments

"Ibig sabihin 'pag nag-vaccinate, sila lang puwedeng lumabas, sila lang puwedeng mag-dine in at puwede rin pong mag-travel at tsaka walang restrictions," Galvez said during President Rodrigo Duterte's Talk to the People on Tuesday night.

"'Yong mga vaccination mandates, meaning, it will entice most of our unvaccinated to be vaccinated," he added.

Galvez said the private sector wants to ramp up vaccination to achieve 1.5 million jabs per day. He said it wants the government to vaccinate the willing to achieve the bandwagon effect.

Protecting the economy

To protect the economy amid the pandemic, Galvez said the private sector wants to accelerate the vaccination of key cities and economic hubs.

Galvez said the private sector also recommended the IATF to remove capacity restrictions for all public transport and ease curfews.

It also suggested prioritizing safe optional reopening of schools in areas with high vaccination rates.

It also called for a unified vaccine, test, contact trace data ecosystem. --BAP/NB, GMA News