Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 6) – Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian believes the booster card requirement in highly vaccinated areas like Metro Manila will encourage more people to get the additional shots.
Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion earlier suggested that areas with high vaccination rates should require COVID-19 booster cards for additional protection against the disease.
“I’m for the boostering, I agree with it and people should be looking for a booster card,” Gatchalian said. “Making the booster cards mandatory — they will also get time to get boosted.”
But National Task Force Against COVID-19 special adviser Ted Herbosa said requiring booster cards is a form of elitism and would restrict the mobility of so many people.
“Mababa pa ang ating booster vaccinated status [Our boosted vaccinated status is still low]. Our booster status is about 7 or 8 million pa lang [only]. If you only have few, problema pa ‘yan di ba [it’s still a problem, right]?” Herbosa said.
He added that mandating booster cards is not timely, as many are still waiting for their second dose.
“There will be much more people who will complain than the people who will be able to comply. ‘Yan ang problema sa policy na ‘yan [That’s the problem with the policy]. Very elitist ang policy,” said Herbosa.
