(FILE) Alfresco diners enjoy their meals minding safety and health protocols at the designated outside dining area of restaurants in SM City North Edsa in Quezon City on April 30, 2021. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez is proposing that only vaccinated persons aged below 65 be allowed to avail of dine-in and personal care services during 鈥渟afe reopenings鈥� following a lockdown.
During a taped briefing aired on Saturday, Lopez reiterated his appeal to allow vaccinated individuals in dine-in and personal care services, stressing the need for a 鈥渄ifferent approach鈥� other than lockdowns to address the pandemic.
鈥淎ng iniisip po natin, safe reopening, especially during MECQ. 鈥榊ung middle ground is para safe, we allow only the vaccinated. Safe sila sa mga restricted sectors na to. We can say na vaccinated na below 65 years old,鈥� Lopez said.
(What we are thinking is having a safe opening during MECQ. The middle ground is allowing only the vaccinated in these places. They are safe in these restricted sectors. We can say we can allow those vaccinated who are 65 years old.)
鈥淜asi kapag vaccinated na mas matanda, above 65, delikado pa rin kapag tinamaan ng COVID. Pero 鈥榶ung mas bata ay mas malakas,鈥� he added.
(Vaccinated individuals who are above 65 years old can still be at risk. But the younger ones are healthier.)
Lopez said it will be up to health experts if they will set an age limit for vaccinated individuals who may be allowed to avail of dine-in and personal care services during the reopening of these sectors.
The Trade Secretary is pushing for reopening these sectors citing the 2 million workers affected in the closure of dine-in services and 400,000 workers in salons and personal care services.