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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider WHO, DOH not yet advocating 'vaccine bubble'

WHO, DOH not yet advocating 'vaccine bubble'

Published Aug 31, 2021 07:33 pm

A restaurant staff cleans a table after the IATF allowed indoor dining in NCR at limited capacity on April 30, 2021 (Ali Vicoy/Manila Bulletin)

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) are not yet advocating, at this point, the segregation of the unvaccinated and individuals already vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the DOH is open to the "vaccine bubbles" proposal of Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, but the department is not yet in favor of that at this time.

“Sa tingin namin, hindi pa ho natin pwede ipatupad iyan base sa (We believed that we cannot implement that yet based on) Department of Health’s analysis,” said Vergeire on Tuesday, Aug. 31.

“Sa ngayon, pinag aaralan yan at hindi po isasara yung pintuan namin diyan sa ganyang usapin. Dadating po tayo sa punto na iyan (Right now, that is being studied and we are not closing our doors on such matters. We will get to that point) once supplies are stable, once vaccine coverage has improved already---not just here in NCR--- but also in the other regions, and once our cases are already manageable,” she added.

WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said that a vaccine bubble might give a false sense of security for vaccinated people.

“The concept of bubbles for vaccinated people doesn’t actually hold true because you will continue to be at risk of getting infected. And if you are infected, you can infect other people.” he said in a separate media briefing.

“So, we don’t advocate for vaccine bubbles at this point of time,” he added.

Under the vaccine bubble proposal, Concepcion proposed a safe space between the unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals in establishments, workplaces, among others.

Related story: 'Bakuna bubble' in NCR for safe business operations, greater mobility proposed

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vaccine bubble Department of Health (DOH) world health organization
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