ULAP chief backs lifting of virus curbs after PH reaches herd immunity

MANILA - The head of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines on Monday supports a proposal to lift community quarantine restrictions once the country achieves herd immunity against COVID-19.

ULAP president and Quirino Governor Dax Cua, in an interview with ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, said the country is "headed that way".

"Wala naman tayong ibang choice dahil sabi nga ng mga doktor (We don't have a choice because the doctors said that) COVID is here to stay, and we have to live and dance with COVID," he said.

"Walang ibang direksiyon kundi mag-ease ng restriction. Maging mas granular, magkaroon ng mas maliliit nalang na mga lockdown upang mag-normal ang ating mga buhay," he added.

(We don't have another direction but to ease restriction. Make it more granular and have smaller lockdowns so our lives will go back to normal.)

• Lifting of community quarantine status possible after herd immunity: Año

Cua was reacting to a statement from Interior Secretary Eduardo Año that the government would only consider lifting lockdowns after the country achieves herd immunity against COVID-19.

He noted that local government units have yet to be consulted on the proposal.

• No more 'herd immunity'; gov't now eyes 'population protection' vs COVID-19

The government aims to inoculate between 58 and 70 million to achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus, containing its spread. Vaccinating 25 to 50 million, meanwhile, is expected to result to herd containment, reducing hospitalization and deaths of those in the vulnerable sectors.

• COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in PH top 8.4 million: gov't

To date, the Philippines has administered over 8.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it started inoculating in March. The government said more than 2.1 million people are already fully vaccinated.