Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Eduardo Año opposed on Monday, Feb. 7, the proposal of Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion to require coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) booster cards in areas with high vaccine rates for added protection against the virus.
“Sa ngayon hindi pa yan napapanahon (It is not timely at present),’’ Año said in the ABS-CBN TeleRadyo interview.
While injecting booster shots are now being administered to the fully vaccinated individuals, Año stressed that the government is still prioritizing inoculating COVID-19 vaccines to the population.
He noted that at least 34 million Filipinos remain unvaccinated, including 565,888 in Metro Manila.
“Gusto natin fully vaccinated (We want everybody to be fully vaccinated),’’ he added.
Concepcion said the proposal could be implemented in Metro Manila “in a month or two’’ adding that the requirement to show proof of COVID-19 booster shot is being implemented in other countries, including the United States.
But DILG chief stated that only 2.6 million people in Metro Manila have received booster shots.
Año emphasized that “if we implement a no booster, no entry policy, our economy will suffer because only a few will be allowed in establishments.’’
Earlier, Concepcion noted that adding the booster card requirement will be another way to move forward amid the pandemic.
“We have to plan for this. In other words, we want to make sure that people are still protected with the vaccines,’’ Concepcion told ANC's Rundown.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvana, however, argued it would be “difficult’’ to require booster cards in Metro Manila. (Chito A. Chavez)