Not yet time to require booster vaccination vs. COVID-19 — Año

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday said it is not time yet to make COVID-19 booster vaccination a requirement for entry to establishments.

In a radio interview, Año said the government’s priority is the primary series of vaccination of the 34 million unvaccinated people in the country.

“Sa ngayon, hindi pa ‘yan napapanahon. Ang ating priority pa rin, yung primary priority yung pag-vaccinate ng primary series,” he said.

(For now, it is not yet time for requiring booster shots. The vaccination of primary series is still our priority.)

According to him, 59.1 million people are already fully vaccinated while 66.5 million are awaiting their second dose.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Año said they are still searching for 565,880 unvaccinated people.

“Kung hindi natin uunahin ang mga ito, yung bawat isang tinuturok nating mga booster ay kawalan ng opportunity para mabakunahan sa primary series,” he said.

(If we will not prioritize the unvaccinated, one booster shot that will be administered is a lost opportunity to vaccinate them for primary series.)

Año noted that only 2.6 million or 36% had booster shots in the NCR. If booster shots will be required in entering establishments, he said the economy will suffer.

Earlier, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion floated the possibility of requiring individuals in Metro Manila to show proof of booster vaccination upon entering business establishments.

“In [Metro] Manila, we should now enforce that this booster cards be shown. You have to bring your vaccination card and your booster card,” Concepcion said.

List of unvaccinated persons in barangays

Meanwhile, Año said barangay officials already submitted their lists of residents who have yet to be vaccinated, adding that they already have the data on 12 out of the 17 regions.

“Ito’y magiging basis natin ngayon para mabigyan pansin yung mga nasa listahan na hindi pa nabakunahan . Karamihan dito nasa lugar  na malalayo so ito rin ang magiging strategy natin kung paano mapaaabot ang bakuna rito,” he said.

(The list will be our basis now to give attention to the unvaccinated. Most of them are in far-flung areas so it will be our strategy on how to deliver the vaccines to them.) 

The Commission on Human Rights earlier reminded barangay officials that submitting a list of unvaccinated residents must not result in violation of the residents' right to privacy. 

“We cannot use the present pandemic as a justification to set aside pertinent laws and human rights standards meant to protect human rights and dignity in all situations and at all times,” CHR spokesperson and lawyer Jacqueline Ann de Guia said. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News