MANILA -- With reports of local cases of the Delta variant, local health authorities and the national government have called on the public to strictly adhere to the minimum public health standards, and to cooperate with the intensified implementation of the prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate (PDITR) strategy to combat the said highly transmissible variant of concern.
"Nananatiling parehas ang ating mga stratehiya, ngunit mas papaigtingin pa po natin ang pagpapatupad ng minimum public health protocols. Kasama na rito po ang ating minimum public health standards, border control measures, at quarantine, testing, and contact tracing protocols," said Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr.
In a press briefing on July 21, 2021, the Palace official said that aside from the intensified PDITR, there is also a need to ensure that the country’s health system capacity will be able to handle the possible surge in COVID-19 cases.
Secretary Roque also emphasized that getting jabbed with a COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the Delta variant, as long as an individual gets the complete dose of the vaccine.
“Ayon sa Public Health England, ang dalawang doses ng AstraZeneca ay 92 percent na epektibo para hindi ma-ospital dahil sa coronavirus. Pinapakita rin ng isang pag-aaral na walang namatay sa Delta Variant pagkatapos makatanggap ng dalawang doses ng bakuna,” said Secretary Roque.
In the same press briefing, infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante also underscored that all vaccines with an Emergency Use Authorization are effective against one or more variants of concern. Dr. Solante stressed that any vaccine that works is better than none.
Solante also advised the public against participating in super-spreader events, to wear mask indoors and in crowds, and to ensure proper ventilation, especially in indoor areas. He also emphasized that border control and test-trace-isolate programs are the best tools to combat the Delta variant.
Roque also encouraged everyone to get vaccinated and to get the complete dose for additional protection against COVID-19 variants of concern as more vaccines are being delivered to the country.
Citing the report of Vaccine Czar and National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez during last night’s Talk-to-the-People address of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the Palace spokesperson said that a total of 27, 922, 360 vaccine doses have so far arrived in the country.
“Madaragdagan pa po ang bilang ng mga ito dahil inaasahan mamayang gabi ay darating ang mahigit kalahating milyon, or 562,770 doses ng Pfizer na ating binili,” Sec Roque said.
Roque also mentioned that 1.5 million doses of Sinovac is expected to arrive tomorrow, July 22, while another 1 million doses of Sinovac are expected to be delivered on Friday, July 23.
As of July 20, 2021 data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, a total of 15, 616, 562 vaccines doses have been administered nationwide, while 5,031,301 individuals have completed two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) Mayor Oscar Moreno welcomed the enhanced community quarantine classification of CDO as a preemptive approach to the pandemic and to ensure that no more Delta variant cases emerge. Mayor Moreno also assured that vaccination will continue, thanking the national government for the latest vaccine delivery for CDO. (OPS-PCOO)
