spot_img
28.3 C
Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Are seniors spreaders? Binay: Yes; Villar: No

- Advertisement -

Insisting that elders can spark "superspreader events" of COVID-19, Sen. Nancy Binay on Tuesday countered the hardline stance of Sen. Cynthia Villar that "seniors" should be allowed to go outside their homes once fully vaccinated.

CLASH OF IDEAS. Senior citizens of Barangay 463 in Sampaloc in Manila, receive their 2nd dose of Astra Zeneca vaccines at a city government vaccination site, on May 25. Two schools of  thought  are in conflict over whether to allow them to go out or   keep then inside their homes because of their potential to infect others. Norman Cruz         

In Tuesday's hearing of the Senate Economic Affairs committee, Binay stressed senior citizens could be spreaders of the coronavirus. "You can still get the virus, asymptomatic, but it's spreading."

But Villar said everyone, regardless of age, could also be considered spreaders.

"All of us are spreaders… why would you single out senior citizens from going out?" asked Villar.

Binay said the seniors were prioritized to get the COVID-19 jabs since they were more vulnerable to get infected with the coronavirus and more prone to severe cases.

- Advertisement -

"They were vaccinated first because they are the ones who could die when they get the virus," said Binay.

She also said senior citizens could trigger a collapse of our healthsystem since they can easily get sick with COVID-19.

However, Villar countered that seniors were already protected from severe cases of COVID-19 once fully vaccinated.

“If you are vaccinated, the assurance of the vaccination is that you don’t have to go to the hospital. If at all, it should just be a slight flu, but never death and never serious COVID illnesses. That's the assurance of 100 percent vaccination," said Villar.

According to Villar, she could not understand why those 65 and beyond 65 could not go out even though they were fully vaccinated.

They already face little risk. "They can only suffer from flu, not death or serious COVID illness."

At his point, Binay said vaccinated seniors could still infect other people.

In the hearing of the hard-hit industries during the pandemic chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos, Villar initially inquired into the reasons to continue keeping already inoculated elderly locked down in their houses.

She said the seniors should at least be allowed to dine outside.

“They’re vaccinated already. Why did you vaccinate them if you will not allow them to get out?” she said.

Villar pointed out it was ironic that “you give priority to them (to be jabbed) and then, you will not allow them to go out… They might become crazy in their homes," she said.

“Everybody is like that. I pity our senior citizens."

Marcos agreed with Villar and said prohibiting senior citizens to go out, even if they already received their COVID-19 vaccine “defies logic.”

"It would be hard to explain that to our señioritas at señioritos," she added.

According to Marcos, she was very confused with the Department of Health not allowing seniors to dine out when they could travel, take public transport and walk around malls, but for some reason, they were not allowed to dine.

She also quoted the DOH's justification that "dining is a prime venue for infection."

Binay retorted that service workers in restaurants were yet to be inoculated, the reason why the DOH doesn't allow them to dine here.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles