Philippines reopens cinemas, gyms
MANILA: The Philippines will allow cinemas and gyms to reopen in the capital Manila, an official said on Thursday, after a sharp fall in the daily number of coronavirus infections and increased vaccinations.
Restrictions have been eased in recent weeks as the government shifts its focus to getting people back to work and easing the economic misery caused by hard lockdowns.
“We must pay attention to job creation at this time,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque told a news conference.
Cinemas and gyms, which have been closed for most of the pandemic, will be allowed to resume limited operations on Saturday for fully vaccinated people.
Maximum allowed capacities for restaurants, churches and beauty salons were raised to 30 per cent, as the metropolis was lowered to the third-highest alert level.
Nearly 80 per cent of the adult population in the capital has been fully vaccinated, compared with just over 30 per cent for the entire country, according to official data.
JABS TO SLEEPING FILIPINOS A ‘JOKE’
Harry Roque also said President Rodrigo Duterte was only joking when he suggested giving Covid-19 vaccine shots to people in their sleep if they were hesitant of the jab.
The remark was made in jest to liven up the late-night cabinet meeting on Monday, parts of which were televised.
“Those meetings are very long, and you only see a part of it,” he told a press briefing. “In order for us not to fall asleep, we need some jokes.”
Duterte made the proposal while expressing frustration about the continued spread of the coronavirus.
“I know a lot of people still don’t want to be vaccinated,” Duterte said. “That’s the problem.”
The president said village officials should look for those who are reluctant to get jabs, and “let’s enter their homes while they are sleeping and give them the shots.”
“I will lead the journey,” he added.
Nationwide virus cases hit a record high of 26,303 on September 11, fuelled by the hyper-contagious Delta variant, but for the past four days have fallen below 9,000.
Hospital bed occupancy rates in Covid-19 wards and intensive care units have dropped to below 60 per cent, data showed.
But the World Health Organization’s representative in the Philippines called for “very clear” messaging about restrictions to avoid “putting people’s lives at risk”.