WHILE the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may be “nowhere near over,” an infectious disease expert yesterday said the worst is already over as far as the health emergency is concerned.
In a televised public briefing, Dr. Edsel Salvaña said he believes that the latest wave of COVID-19 cases brings less threat than the one seen last year during the onslaught of the Delta variant.
“Even though the cases were tripled during the Omicron (wave), the number of deaths was nowhere near that of Delta. So, on that basis alone, we can say that the worst is really over for the pandemic,” said Salvaña.
“All things taken into consideration, the worst variant is really Delta… In terms of death and severe disease, I think that the worst is over,” he added.
Salvaña said the current situation can be credited to the fact that a high number of Filipinos are already vaccinated against the disease.
“At this time, we have a high vaccination coverage. Because of vaccination, we don’t expect it to cause as much destruction and death as Delta did,” said Salvaña.
Nevertheless, the health expert stressed that this does not mean that the COVID-19 is already going away.
He said this is because it has been the trait of the virus to constantly mutate and evolve by coming out with different variants and subvariants.
“Of course, there is nothing that will stop the virus from continuing to mutate, especially if transmission continues,” he said.
“Even if these are mild, even if these are asymptomatic, the virus can continue to evolve,” added Salvaña.
He said this is the reason why the government has been constantly urging the public to get booster shots to ensure that the wall of immunity is maintained. “There is really a need for booster dose coverage to catch up,” he stressed.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has earlier said that the latest wave of COVID-19 cases in different countries shows that the pandemic is “nowhere near over.”
Ghebreyesus issued the warning as several nations have already lifted their restrictions and eased their COVID-19 responses after cases and deaths started to go down.
IATF
Meanwhile, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles yesterday said the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) remains active and continues to function.
However, she said she is unaware when the body will again meet and submit its recommendations to President Marcos on the new COVID-19 alert levels for the rest of the month.
“Hindi po namin masasabi iyong kung kailan sila magmi-meet. Ang masasabi lang po natin ay tuluy-tuloy naman po ang trabaho ng IATF, hindi naman po sila naantala kahit nagbago ng administrasyon, so itinutuloy pa rin po ang IATF (We cannot say when they will meet but we can say that the IATF continues to function. Their work has not been interrupted by the change in administration),” she said.
Asked if there will be new alert levels after July 15, she said the government is prepared to issue extensions if needed.
Metro Manila and several provinces and cities are under Alert level 1 until July 15, among them Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Lucena City, Rizal, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa City, Romblon, Albay, Catanduanes, Naga City, and Sorsogon.
Also under Alert Level 1 until July 15 are Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo Province, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City (Opon), Mandaue City, Siquijor, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Tacloban City, Zamboanga City, Northern Mindanao: Bukidnon, Cagayan De Oro City, Camiguin, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao Oriental, South Cotabato, Butuan City, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, and Cotabato City, among others.
The following, however, are under Alert level 2 until July 15: Benguet, Ifugao, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Antique, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, City of Isabela, Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao Del Norte, Davao De Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao Del Sur, Davao Occidental, Cotabato, General Santos City, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Dinagat Islands, Surigao Del Norte, Basilan, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
