City in the Philippines Orders Unvaccinated Folks to Stay in the House or Potentially Face Jail Time as COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise

People in the Philippines who aren’t vaccinated have been ordered to stay home or go to jail.

As the rise in COVID-19 cases continues worldwide, some places are taking extreme measures to keep their communities safe. And when I say extreme, I mean very extreme measures.

The capital of the Philippines – Metro Manila, which has a population of about 14 million, just released an order explaining to citizens that whoever isn’t vaccinated must remain in their homes or face a penalty in the form of jail time.

On Monday, Metro Manila’s governing council announced it would require unvaccinated folks to “regulate their mobility” at least until Jan. 15, Vice reports. The only time unvaccinated peeps can leave the house is if it’s for essential reasons like for medical purposes or to buy essential goods, the news outlet reports. Unvaccinated folks are banned from using public transportation, dining at restaurants, or visiting places where leisure is associated.

If they want to go to work, they’ll have to get tested every two weeks, and they have to pay for it themselves. Those who go against the rules could face a fine up to $1,000 or be serve time in jail up to months. Some offenders could be penalized with both.

“Despite the availability of vaccines, there is a number of individuals who adamantly opt not to be vaccinated and thus become more susceptible to severe cases of COVID-19 infection, which will in turn require hospital care, thereby unduly burdening the health care system to the detriment of public health,” the council said in a memo, per Vice.