THE  “NO vax, no labas” policy that will bar unvaccinated individuals from leaving their homes is anti-poor, a youth group claimed on Thursday.

Kabataan Party-list National President Raoul Manuel said such measure reflects the “slow pandemic response of the government.”

Manuel pointed out that the policy adds to the many impositions including “no vaccine, no work” and “no vaccine, no pay” in workplaces, as well as the “no vaccine, no entry” in schools and government offices.

“It wants to cover up the fact that vaccination in PH is slow primarily due to government incompetence. This is worsened by vaccine hoarding of imperialist countries and non-waiving of vaccine patents by big pharmaceutical corporations based in imperialist countries,” he said.

“Almost two years into the pandemic, they play deaf to people’s calls for a comprehensive approach that includes free and accessible mass testing, effective tracing, and free treatment for those who get infected,” he added.

The youth leader called on the government to ramp up its inoculation drive.

“As to the vaccination process, we must call on the national government to speed it up and couple it with intensified vaccine education drives,” Manuel said.

Unvaccinated residents in areas under Alert Level 3 are barred from going out of their homes except to buy food and essential items.