The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez urged the government to allow fully inoculated individuals to avail of dine-in and personal care services in areas under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
According to Lopez, he is pushing vaccinated individuals only in prohibited sectors because it is safer for them and not for unvaccinated.
Lopez added that in businesses and services such as malls and public transportation, both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals should be allowed, otherwise it would be discriminatory.
DTI also requested 20% operational capacity be restored in restricted sectors during MECQ such as restaurants, beauty salons, and tourist attractions for vaccinated against COVID-19.
Lopez believes that this way more people will be encouraged to get vaccinated but he stressed that if not locked down, both vaccinated and unvaccinated will be allowed to enter the establishments depending on its operating capacity.
The secretary expressed that once his recommendations are approved, it will be part of the rules of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.