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MANILA - Fully vaccinated senior citizens should still stay home, a health expert said Wednesday, citing the country's low vaccination rate and lingering threat of COVID-19.

Dr. Maricar Limpin, vice president of the Philippine College of Physicians, called on the elderly to be more patient.

"Unang-una, ang baba pa ng vaccination rate natin... Therefore, in this point in time, kahit na sino pa 'yan, mapa-senior citizen man 'yan o 'yong mga nasa 40s, mga nasa productive age group natin, I think hindi pa rin tayo dapat basta-basta magluwag doon sa mga restrictions natin," she told Teleradyo.

(First, our vaccination rate is still low. Therefore, in this point in time, whoever it is -- senior citizens, those in their 40s or in the productive age group -- we should still not loosen our restrictions.)

"Hintayin po natin na nakapagbakuna na tayo ng 70 percent saka tayo mag-usap tungkol sa pagluluwag," she added.

(Let's wait until 70 percent are vaccinated then let's talk about easing curbs.)

Limpin also noted that those who have received the COVID-19 jabs may still transmit the virus.

"Hindi ko maintindahan bakit masyado tayong nagmamadali pero tayo ang huling-huli nagdedesisyon naman sa pagbabakuna," she said.

(I don't understand why we are rushing things when we are hesitant in getting vaccinated.)

As of May 24, more than 4.3 million people are vaccinated in the Philippines, of which over 986,000 have received their second dose.

The government aims to vaccinate 58 million Filipinos by year-end to achieve herd immunity.

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SENIORS-ONLY SHOPPING HOURS

For the National Commission of Senior Citizens, supermarkets and pharmacy should assign time in the morning for its elderly shoppers.

"Senior citizens tend to have big economic power. If you allowed them to move around in safe spaces, most especially in pharmacies and grocery stores, the demand may even improve some more kasi siya 'yong nakakabili (because they can buy)," lawyer Franklin Quijano, chairperson of NCSC, told Teleradyo.

Quijano noted that seniors-only shopping hours could be dedicated from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. because elderly people rise early.

"Senior citizens should be allowed to move around kasi nga hindi lang (because not only) physical health pati mental health importante din (is also important)," he said.

Citing estimate from the Commission on Population and Development, Quijano said there were about 10 million senior citizens in the country.

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Meanwhile, Jorge Banal, president of Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines-NCR Chapter, urged the elderly to keep their guards up despite being fully vaccinated.

"Kailangan pa rin na doble ingat kahit meron na silang 2 dosages... Sure na maliligtas sila sa severe infection pero sila maaaring mahawa pa rin at maaaring maging carrier," he told Teleradyo.

(They must remain cautious even if we received 2 dosages... They will be protected from severe infection but they may still be infected and become a carrier.)

Banal also discouraged vaccinated senior citizens from traveling and indoor dining due to presence of various variants of the novel coronavirus.

"Hanggang maaari stay at home tayo (As much as possible, we should stay at home," he said.

Since the pandemic began, senior citizens have been ordered to stay at home because they are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

To date, nearly 1.2 million people were infected with COVID-19 in the country. Some 20,000 people have died from the respiratory illness, of which many belonged to ages between 50 and 79.