Reminds public to follow health protocols amid summer break, election season
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte warned that there could be another Covid-19 surge in the country after the summer holidays and the campaign sorties where people could forget following the minimum health protocols.
Duterte observed that crowding in political gatherings, and even in religious gatherings are a cause for worry, and another surge is always a possibility.
“We have so many crowds lately, religious, political, at makita mo dikit-dikit ‘yung tao. And the medical experts, or the doctors even, are really worried about the closeness of human beings with each other — I mean physical kasi baka magpuputok na naman ang surge. Sayang ang pera, bilyon ang inano natin,” he said in his latest Talk to the People on April 11.
-Duterte notes Covid resurgence in China, Singapore, HK-
Duterte said he is also worried about the Omicron subvariants that are causing a surge in other countries such as in China and its territory, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.
“May resurgence doon sa mga places na ang akala natin nauna pa nga sa atin. We came in very late because of walang vaccine,” he said.
“So kung totoo — hindi ko sabihin totoo ito o hindi, but if it is — if you have read about it or maybe you — it’s known to you, kindly tell us bakit may resurgence sila,” he asked Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
-Omicron sublineages-
Vergeire said that there are two to three Omicron sublineages. One of these, the BA.2, has already affected much of the country from January to March this year.
This BA.2 Omicron sublineage is what is now affecting other countries, she noted.
“Kaya sinasabi po ng mga eksperto natin na we are blessed because we were able to overcome already at natapos ‘yung challenge ng BA.2 dito sa ating bansa,” the DOH official said.
Vergeire said that in Hong Kong, the reason for the new Covid surge which is taking a toll on the elderly population was because there is a low percentage of vaccination. This is causing hospitals to be overwhelmed.
In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, the surge in Covid-19 cases was due to the early removal of the mask mandate there.
-DOH warning-
Vergeire said that there is also a possibility of this happening in the Philippines especially with the summer vacations and holidays and the numerous campaign sorties in the run-up to the elections.
“Dito po sa atin, Mr. President, because of all of the activities that are happening, the campaign sorties. Mayroon po tayong Semana Santa, so ngayon po, patuloy po tayong nagbibigay ng paalala sa ating mga kababayan dahil the possibility of having another increase or rise in the number of cases ay hindi po malayo,” she said.
She also noted that the low vaccination rate in certain areas, and failure to follow safety protocols would make another Covid surge very likely.
(Eagle News Service)