Mandaue VOC not sure of recommending ‘no vaccination, no entry’ policy in the city’s public cemeteries

Visitors start to arrive in St. Joseph’s Parish Roman Catholic Cemetery in Mandaue City on November 1. | Rosalie Abatayo

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City Vaccine Operation Center (VOC) is not certain about recommending a ‘no vaccination, no entry’ policy in the city’s public cemeteries on All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

Dr. Ligaya Lakambini Dargantes, operations head of Mandaue City’s VOC and the head of the patient care and management team of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said she may not be recommending a ‘no vaccination, no entry’ policy in the city’s cemeteries. like they are not requiring a vaccination card in dine-in establishments as long as the public would comply with the minimum health standards.

Dargantes said considering the crowd, it will not be safe for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

She said though vaccinated, they can still be infected which they might not know, and could possibly carry the virus to their homes and infect vulnerable members of the household.

She added that the city’s cemeteries are open areas and that have open air.

She said last year, they strictly implemented crowd control with the help of MCPO and marshalls who check and implement health protocols. They also limited the number of individuals inside cemeteries.

Dargantes said they have yet to meet with the EOC regarding the guidelines for All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

Earlier, the Archdiocese of Cebu has proposed to the Cebu City Emergency Operations Center that only vaccinated individuals will be allowed inside cemeteries on All Saints Day and All Souls Day.    /rcg

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