SENIOR citizens who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) are now allowed to go outside their homes, provided they present their vaccination cards, Malacañang announced on Friday.Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) decided to allow fully-vaccinated senior citizens to leave their homes following a meeting on Thursday.'The IATF likewise allowed the movement of fully vaccinated senior citizens in areas under General Community Quarantine and Modified General Community Quarantine, subject to presentation of a duly issued Covid-19 vaccination card, and strict observance of the minimum public health standards,' Roque said.'The movement of fully vaccinated seniors is, however, limited to travel within their zone as interzonal travel is still prohibited, except for point-to-point travel that was previously allowed,' he added.Roque, who is also the spokesman of the IATF, then encouraged senior citizens who have yet to be vaccinated to get themselves inoculated against Covid-19.This came after lawyer Romulo Macalintal urged the government to give fully-vaccinated senior citizens 'special privilege' to go out and enjoy more freedom.Macalintal said fully-vaccinated senior citizens should be given the special privilege to dine in any restaurant to encourage more elderly to receive Covid-19 jabs.Inoculating seniors is a priority of the government. In its vaccination program against Covid-19, seniors are second-in-line after healthcare workers.As of June 6, almost 6 million Covid-19 shots have been administered to frontline healthcare workers (A1), senior citizens (A2), persons with comorbidities (A3), and economic and government frontliners (A4).A total of 4,386,467 Filipinos have received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.On the other hand, 1,520,651 individuals are now considered fully protected from the disease after they received their second dose.Meanwhile, Roque said that the task force amended the guidelines of inbound international travel to any port of the Philippines of all fully vaccinated individuals who have been vaccinated in the Philippines, stated in IATF Resolution 119.'First, the IATF issued a date of effectivity in the abovementioned guideline, which is, June 16, 2021,' the Palace official said.'Second, the IATF explained the verification process of vaccination cards, stating that a fully vaccinated individual must carry his or her vaccination card which must be verified prior to his/her departure prior to boarding, and a certification issued prior to his/her departure by the Department of Information and Communications Technology or the City Health Officer of the local government unit which administered the last dose necessary for full vaccination,' he added.
