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“No Vaccination, No Transpo”: How does this affect us?

by Kevyn Gohu
January 17, 2022

The government’s latest “No Vaccination, No Transpo” policy has earned some mixed reviews. So how does this affect us?

We know how important vaccines are in turning COVID-19 from a pandemic to an endemic. Unfortunately, there are complaints coming from the unvaccinated. Some refuse for medical reasons. Others say that the “no vaccination, no transpo” policy infringes on their “right to choose”. But we would prefer the whole country’s vaccinated. If it means allowing our kids to roam freely without the fear of infection, so be it.

What does the the “No Vaccination, No Transpo” policy entail?

Public transport operators can deny rides to unvaccinated passengers. Grab, Angkas, LRT, MRT, buses, taxis, you name it — they will have the right to deny people rides if the incoming passenger cannot prove their vaccination or their medical reason why they cannot be vaccinated. They usually request your vaccination card with one (1) valid government ID to make sure it’s not fake.

However, according to the Department of Transport (DOTr), a fully-vaccinated individual is someone who’s received “at least one vaccination jab from two weeks ago”. The Department of Transport (DOTr) made the policy in hopes of lifting the burden from the public transport operators and suppressing another COVID-19 boom.

What’s the logic?

Most public transportations keep their windows closed to keep the cold air from going out. Unfortunately, COVID-19 will get stuck inside too. With public transportation trying to bring around as many people as they can, it’s a mini-mass gathering in a tight space. That’s a COVID-19 Boom waiting to happen. If one person so happens to have Omicron, the 20-30 people riding with them may become carriers and infect another 20-30 people. In short, Lockdown Season X here we come!

How does this affect us and our families?

Don’t worry, there are some exemptions to the rule. Family members with diseases that prevent vaccination can still go around. Provided, they have a medical certificate to prove it. For our kids and babies, we’ll need to talk to their pediatricians and see if they can create a modified schedule so that their little bodies don’t get overwhelmed. Otherwise, our kids can’t come with us which might be problematic especially if no one’s guarding them at home.

However, DOTr Undersecretary Artemio Tuazon Jr. added that if we’re going to the vaccination site, we’re exempted from that rule. We’ll have to prove with a confirmation text or email from the vaccination program though.

Vaccinations are a necessary

The side effects may be scary but, getting the severe effects scares us more. While the vaccines don’t make us immune, it protects us from severe manifests like pneumonia, 40-degree fevers, dropping oxygen levels, and spiking sugar levels. Although the unvaccinated can go out for essentials, some cities have been clamping harder to stop the spread of COVID-19. The “No Vaccination, No Transpo” policy’s on its first day of implementation today and we’re hoping that the policy will help make the situation better for those who are working and our families who are on the frontlines.