MANILA - Malls and restaurants in NCR should consider accepting only fully vaccinated individuals, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion on Wednesday said.

“We are pushing for establishments in NCR, such as malls, restaurants and others, to allow only fully vaccinated individuals so we can create safer bubbles," he said.

The "stronger measure" is needed to effectively mitigate the spread of the more virulent COVID-19 Delta variant, Concepcion said in a statement.

"For example, dining areas with fully vaccinated restaurant crew serving fully vaccinated dine-in customers," he added.

He clarified that the proposed measure should be implemented "upon having enough fully vaccinated residents in certain cities in Metro Manila."

The presidential adviser did not say what this percentage would be, but added that the Philippines should "benchmark against similar measures in other countries."

He cited Jakarta, where malls reopened at 25 percent capacity, but only to fully vaccinated individuals. Singapore, which has vaccinated 75 percent of its population, is also allowing the fully vaccinated to resume activities, Concepcion added.

Unvaccinated individuals must be protected by limiting their mobility, he said, adding that it is not impossible with the vaccine rollout in effect despite the lockdown.

Several vaccination sites in Metro Manila were recently mobbed by people wanting to get inoculated, showing high demand as well as a shortage in supply.

• COVID-19 vaccination sites sa Metro Manila dinagsa
• PANOORIN: Bakunahan sa Maynila dinagsa, health protocols di nasunod

The Philippines aims to inoculate 58 million people by the end of the year. As of Aug. 15, some 12.7 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated. This was after more than five months since the vaccination drive was rolled out.

• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

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