Coronavirus: ‘vaccine or jail’, Philippines’ Duterte threatens; Singapore expands testing after finding new clusters
- Duterte’s remarks contradict those of his health officials, who have said Covid-19 vaccines were encouraged but voluntary
- Elsewhere, Singapore widened testing after finding two new clusters, and India administered 8.5 million vaccine doses in one day
“You choose, vaccine or I will have you jailed,” Duterte said in a televised address on Monday following reports of low turnouts at several vaccination sites in the capital, Manila.
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Vaccine or jail: Philippines’ Duterte threatens to arrest Filipinos who refuse jabs
“Don’t get me wrong, there is a crisis in this country,” Duterte said. “I’m just exasperated by Filipinos not heeding the government.”
As of June 20, Philippine authorities had fully vaccinated 2.1 million people, making slow progress towards the government’s target to immunise up to 70 million people this year in a country of 110 million.
Duterte, who has been criticised for his tough approach to containing the virus, also stood by his decision to not let schools reopen.
In the same address, he took a swipe at the International Criminal Court, after an ICC prosecutor had sought permission from the court for a full inquiry into the drug war killings in the Philippines.