EDITORIAL - Outside the bubbles

There is now a push by some airlines to allow greater mobility to people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In a report in Philstar.com, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said airline owners approached him with suggestions on how to revive air travel, which will also benefit our sagging tourism industry.

In particular, the airline company owners asked to ease travel restrictions for fully-vaccinated individuals. They also asked that the multiple requirements for domestic destinations be removed, as well as the long quarantine period required for those coming home on international flights.

This is actually a good idea, letting the fully-vaccinated individuals avail of some “privileges”, for lack of a better term. However, we must also take care not to discriminate against those who have not been fully vaccinated.

It is so easy for those who have been fully vaccinated to make bubbles for themselves and leave those who have not been fully vaccinated outside of it.

Remember that a mayor in Cebu once proposed prohibiting unvaccinated individuals from entering their public market? It was a proposal that drew howls of protest. In a city in Metro Manila, a mayor also proposed putting up yellow ribbons in houses of people infected with COVID-19 as a way of warning others to stay away, and to signify that the residents of that house shouldn’t be allowed outside.

Again, it should be mentioned that many are still not fully-vaccinated not because of their own fault. Many people, especially those in provinces outside the National Capitol Region and the other favored areas, still have not received their vaccine supply. Some are still waiting for their first shot while others have yet to be called up for their second.

Even Cebu, the second-richest province in the country, has yet to vaccinate most of its population. According to a report, as of September 15, 2021, only 782,526 individuals out of the 3.6 million eligible population in Cebu have been fully vaccinated.

In most cases it is no longer a matter of vaccine hesitancy, but of a lack of vaccines.

Many are still not vaccinated, but not for lack of trying. If authorities want to make bubbles for the fully-vaccinated, it should not be directed at making those who haven’t gotten their shots yet feel disadvantaged.