(Eagle News)–The Department of Health on Tuesday, Dec. 28, reiterated its appeal to the public to “remain cautious” against COVID-19 even when fully vaccinated.
The DOH issued the reminder following what it noted was an increase in COVID-19 cases “nationally” in the recent seven days, from the 289 in the previous week to 351 cases per day.
According to the DOH, Metro Manila cases also saw an increase, from 75 daily cases in the previous week to 145 cases per day.
“CALABARZON and NCR also showed slight uptick in the positivity rate from 0.6% in the previous week to 0.9% and 1.4% respectively,” the DOH said.
According to the department, while symptoms may be mild for the fully vaccinated, the disease “could be severe for the unvaccinated, especially for senior citizens and those who have underlying conditions.”
It also noted the threat of the Omicron variant, which the World Health Organization has classified as a variant of concern with its over 30 mutations, most of which are in the spike protein that attaches to the human ACE-2.
“…the government is also ensuring that the country has enough beds and facilities to respond to both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases. But crucial to this is also having FEWER PEOPLE WHO WILL NEED THESE HOSPITAL BEDS and we as individuals have control over choosing activities that are safe,” the DOH said.
The department said “the simple choices we make — properly wearing face masks, frequent hand washing, avoiding crowded places, immediately isolating when presenting symptoms of COVID-19, ensuring proper ventilation in indoor settings, choosing to get vaccinated and boosted– have a collective impact on the country’s case trends,” the DOH said.
“These are just some of the many things we can do that will keep us and our loved ones safe from COVID-19. Let us always choose what is safe and healthy,” the department added.
On Tuesday, Dec. 28, the DOH reported 421 new COVID-19 cases.
The figure was more than the average 300 daily cases reported weeks prior.
The Philippines has so far detected four Omicron variant cases.