MANILA - COVID-19 vaccines "will buy you freedom to move around", Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said Wednesday as he urged people anew to get their COVID-19 booster shots, fearing that the low uptake rate could derail the country's pandemic recovery and waste billions of pesos worth of jab supply.

Concepcion reiterated the protection vaccines offer and said eligible individuals should at least get the first booster dose. Government is currently preparing for the rollout of the second booster shot for the elderly and immunocompromised.

• PH sets guidelines for 2nd COVID-19 booster dose rollout

"Yun ang pinoprotektahan natin, ang wall of immunity, para tuloy-tuloy ang freedom natin to go out, dine out with friends, family, to travel abroad or in the Philippines," Concepcion said in a public briefing.

(That is what we are protecting, the wall of immunity, so our freedom to go out, dine out with friends, and travel abroad or in the Philippines would be sustained.)

Video from PTV

"The price of that is to improve our level of immunity through vaccination and booster... Kung magsasarado tayo ulit sa Alert Level 3 or 4, then masisira yung negosyo, pati yung economy ng Pilipinas... We should realize the whole implication here," he added.

(If we will close again due to Alert Level 3 or 4, then our businesses will be affected negatively. The economy of the Philippines will be affected badly, too.)

The improving domestic economy, manifested for example by the overcapacity of tourists in Boracay over the Holy Week, affirmed Filipinos' desire for things to go back to normal, Concepcion said.

To sustain this, he said, a high COVID-19 vaccination and booster rate should be considered.

"Yung halos lahat ng pamilyang gustong magbakasyon, and Boracay is the best spot... Halos for 2 years they [were] closed, wala silang kita... This is important na makita natin itong mobility natin. Pero importante dito, kung bakunado naman lahat sila... kahit they get sick, magiging mild lang."

(Almost all of the families wanted go on vacation and Boracay is the best spot. For 2 years they were closed, and it is important to maintain our mobility. But the good thing here is that tourists are vaccinated. If they get sick, it will just be mild.)

Last week, the Department of Health warned that Metro Manila could record up to 446,000 COVID-19 cases by mid-May if the public rampantly violates health protocols, given the increasing election-related activities.

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Metro Manila and dozens of other areas are under the loosest pandemic alert level until April 30. This allows all establishments and activities to operate at full on-site capacity, with face-to-face classes subject to the approval of the Office of the President.

The Philippines has fully inoculated some 67 million people, while over 72 million have received their first jab, data showed.

The DOH said that as of April 17, there were some 37.6 million individuals eligible for COVID-19 booster shots.