Community transmission of Delta cases noted as it becomes dominant variant in PHL
(Eagle News) – The Department of Health (DOH) said that COVID-19 cases could still peak by mid-September based on the rates monitored on the virus infections this August.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the department is also recommending the use of granular lockdowns, instead of regional lockdowns as a strategy to curb the increase and transmission of the Delta variant which is now the dominant variant in the country. Almost 70 percent of samples sequenced by Philippine Genome Center (PGC) are already Delta variant cases.
“We may see cases peak mid-September. However, these figures will greatly depend on the further improvement on compliance of minimum public health standards, shortening the interval between detection to isolation, faster vaccine deployments and the granular lockdowns that we are all doing right now,” she said in a recent DOH briefing.
As both the DOH and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both confirmed community transmission of the Delta variant in the country, the DOH is looking to implementing more granular lockdowns in communities with clustering of Delta cases.
-Region-wide, province-wide lockdowns no longer effective due to modifications-
Vergeire said that the DOH has monitored the “indirect effect” of region-wide or province-wide lockdowns – namely “hunger and more diseases.”
The DOH official said that with granular lockdowns, local government units would be able to monitor and manage cases of Delta variant in their areas if there would be granular lockdowns.
Vergeire said that region-wide and province-wide lockdowns “are not working anymore” since there have been modifications implemented in these lockdowns. She particularly referred to the continuing mobility of the APORs or the Authorized Persons Outside Residence.
“We are recommending granular lockdowns,” she said.
“Ito mas mahigpit po yan. Walang puedeng pumasok, walang puedeng lumabas. Visibility and enforcement is there,” she said.
Not all barangays are affected in granular lockdowns, but only particular areas. It could be streets or small areas.
With granular lockdowns, local governments can do better active case finding, vaccination, and implementation of minimum public health standards.
“Kailangan nating putulin ang transmission. Mao-overwhelm po ang ating health care system,” she said.
Vergeire said that with granular lockdowns, “we will be able to stop the transmission in the community.”
“Stopping the transmission in our community is foremost ngayon.”
(Eagle News Service)