In an attempt to impede the spread of the contagious delta variant of COVID-19 Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has told unvaccinated Filipinos to not leave their homes.
The country last week confirmed the presence of the delta strain, prompting the government to reinstate strict coronavirus measures in the metropolitan Manila area — the capital region with more than 13 million inhabitants — and four other provinces until Aug. 15. The Philippines has so far recorded 119 delta cases.
“To those who do not want to get vaccinated, I’m telling you, do not leave your house — if you do, I will tell the police to escort you back because you are a walking spreader,” Duterte said in a televised address on Wednesday night.
He added that the unvaccinated should not go out as “they are throwing viruses left and right. We’re talking about our nation here, so if you don’t want to help by having the vaccines, then you should just stay at home.”
While the Philippine leader admitted there was no law restricting the movement of unvaccinated people, he said he is ready to face legal complaints against his directives.
“Should I wait for it when many people are dying already? That’s the problem. There is no law, but the law of necessity is there,” he said.
With nearly 1.6 million coronavirus cases and more than 27,000 deaths, the Philippines has the second-worst outbreak in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.
The country last week confirmed the presence of the delta strain, prompting the government to reinstate strict coronavirus measures in the metropolitan Manila area — the capital region with more than 13 million inhabitants — and four other provinces until Aug. 15. The Philippines has so far recorded 119 delta cases.
“To those who do not want to get vaccinated, I’m telling you, do not leave your house — if you do, I will tell the police to escort you back because you are a walking spreader,” Duterte said in a televised address on Wednesday night.
He added that the unvaccinated should not go out as “they are throwing viruses left and right. We’re talking about our nation here, so if you don’t want to help by having the vaccines, then you should just stay at home.”
While the Philippine leader admitted there was no law restricting the movement of unvaccinated people, he said he is ready to face legal complaints against his directives.
“Should I wait for it when many people are dying already? That’s the problem. There is no law, but the law of necessity is there,” he said.
With nearly 1.6 million coronavirus cases and more than 27,000 deaths, the Philippines has the second-worst outbreak in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.
