More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
If you think the vaccine will change anything then you better think again.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/10/21/vaccines-wont-automatically-lead-to-easing-of-community-quarantine-says-palace |
The Philippines' roll out of COVID-19 vaccines this year will not automatically result in the relaxation of community quarantines, the country's inter-agency task force (IATF) on coronavirus said Wednesday.
IATF co-chair and Cabinet Sec. Karlo Nograles said the number of COVID-19 cases will remain as the government’s gauge in deciding on the implementation of COVID-19 lockdowns.
(The IATF will decide based on our indicators. If cases are low, NCR can shift to MGCQ. Areas under MGCQ, if they register zero cases, they can proceed to the new normal.)
(Right now, we can't define yet the new normal since we haven't seen zero COVID-19 growth rate, infection rate, attack rate for consecutive weeks. Until we see that, we can't define the new normal.)
The Philippine government targets to immunize 100 percent of its adult population, or about 70 million Filipinos, by the end of 2021.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the compassionate use of the COVID-19 vaccine from China's Sinopharm for the benefit of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) members, Malacañang said Thursday.
At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the compassionate use will cover 10,000 doses.
A vaccine needs to secure an emergency use authorization from the FDA for it to be legally administered in the Philippines. Sinopharm has yet to apply for an EUA before the FDA.
The FDA, however, can allow the use of the vaccine without EUA approval provided that the vaccine secured a compassionate use permit.
Some members of PSG, however, have already received COVID-19 shots that were donated to them as early as September or October last year, according to PSG commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III in December.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130334 |
This means the PNP should certainly investigate who supplied the PSG with illegal vaccines. But they won't. We know they won't. Duterte has stymied that investigation. Allegedly over 100,000 POGO workers received the vaccine.Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Thursday ordered police to help health authorities in tracking down and arresting smugglers of illegal coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines possibly being sold in the black market.
Sinas said in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), the National Task Force Against Covid-19, and the Food and Drug Administration, police teams will monitor black market activities for counterfeit and unauthorized Covid-19 vaccines that may have entered the country.
“I have taken to task the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Intelligence Group, and other National Operational Support Units to organize operating teams that will launch operations to prevent the entry, distribution, and sale of Covid-9 vaccines without proper authorization from the concerned government agencies,” Sinas said in a statement Thursday.
The country has not yet approved a coronavirus vaccine for general use. The FDA earlier warned the public against counterfeit vaccines as authentic Covid-19 vaccines could be accessed only through the national vaccination program.
While there are no reported fake Covid-19 vaccines in the country yet, the FDA is coordinating with the PNP, the Bureau of Customs, and the National Bureau of Investigation to prevent the entry of counterfeit vaccines.
More than 100,000 Chinese nationals in the country have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus despite the absence of regulatory approval, according to civic leader Teresita Ang-See.
She bared this in a virtual media forum on Monday, adding that the vaccination started as early as November. This prevalence of Chinese workers receiving unregistered vaccine shots, however, only came to light in mid-December when one of those supposedly immunized still caught the virus.
Ang-See said she viewed the vaccination as a "positive" development as this could help prevent transmission in the country.
"Okay lang saakin na ma-bakunahan sila, kasi [It's okay with me that they are vaccinated, because] we don't have much control with them," she said. "Wala naman tayong [We don’t have] basis to touch base with them, especially the POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) workers. So, I'm glad that they are being vaccinated because it protects us also if they are protected."
However, she also raised concerns on the legality and safety of the early inoculation.
"It's just that the worry nasa'n ang polisiya mo? 'Yung worry na they're breaking our laws, that's one," she said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the deferment of the implementation of child car seat law, Malacañang announced Thursday.
(The President has decided to defer the implementation of the child car seats.)
Republic Act No. 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, aims to keep children safe while aboard motor vehicles. Under its implementing rules and regulations, children aged 12 years old and below and are under 4’11 are no longer allowed to take the front seat or to be left unattended inside a private vehicle.
The law also requires children to use child restraint systems (CRS) or child car seats that are appropriate for their age, height, and weight.
This law, signed by President Duterte in December 2019, was supposed to take effect on Feb. 2.
(This was the decision of the President where he balanced the needs of the public amid the pandemic.)
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Friday said the government has yet to sign any supply agreement with vaccine manufacturers since “the ball is not in the Philippines’ hands”.
(The supply agreement is dictated by the supplier. Even if we tell them to meet, but if they say that we pause for a while, how can we have the payment and terms?)
(We’re not delaying. The ball is not in our hands. It’s in theirs.)
The Philippines has only signed term sheets with various manufacturers, securing some 108 million doses of vaccines, he added.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/775694/gov-t-allows-30-capacity-for-religious-gatherings-in-gcq-areas/story/ |
The government's inter-agency task force in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the increase to 50% of venue's capacity for religious gatherings in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ).
According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, this was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) during its meeting Thursday.
“Starting February 15, pinapayagan na po ang religious gatherings up to 50% of the seating or venue capacity," Roque said
At present, only 30% of venue's capacity is allowed in religious gatherings in areas under GCQ, which include Metro Manila.
Roque said the IATF has also allowed traditional cinemas, parks and other leisure sites in GCQ areas to operate at 50% capacity.
Roque said such easing of limits was approved considering that there was no recent increase in COVID-19 attack rate, as well as to provide livelihood to the people amid the pandemic.
It was March 2020, and the Philippines was still too much in shock to process the COVID-19 pandemic. With few health workers trained to administer a nasopharyngeal test, Mendoza, 31, had no choice but to do it himself.
Across a hospital room, their eyes locking above their masks, Mendoza met the woman who would be his wife, internist Diane Rombaoa, 36.
Two days after that first meeting, he contacted her to say that she had tested negative for COVID-19. It was the start of a quick yet long journey.
Mendoza says that while he and Diane didn’t feel like they were rushing things, the pandemic somehow made them realize life’s uncertainties.
“You don’t have full control [of what tomorrow brings],” he says. “so you have to make the most of it.”
They became a couple in May. He popped the question in June, and they married in October before a small gathering of family and friends who wore masks and sat apart in a Catholic church.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/775884/low-vaccination-demand-lgus-biggest-challenge-says-dilg-exec/story/ |
Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said Sunday the biggest challenge for local governments in the COVID-19 inoculation drive is the low demand among their residents.Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB's "Dobol B sa News TV" on Sunday, Malaya attributed the low demand for vaccination to the unverified negative information that the public keeps getting from social media."I think, our biggest challenge, although it is getting better, is the demand ... because that's what they read on Facebook, the stories of them," Malaya said."I think the message we need from our countrymen is that all vaccines approved by our government have gone through the right process," he added.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/14/21/filipinos-urged-to-travel-as-hotels-resorts-struggle-to-stay-afloat |
A group of hotels and resorts on Sunday urged Filipinos to travel but following health protocols as businesses struggle to stay afloat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Local tourism lang talaga ang inaasahan namin (We are really just relying on local tourism). Sabi ko nga (I've said), 'Be a hero, you travel and help us out also'," said Christine Anne Ibarreta, president of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association which has some 155 members.
"We have to hold on and we’re still positive as Filipinos, hoteliers na malalagpasan namin ito (that we'll get past this). Kaya (so), please travel and help us out," she said.
Be a hero and travel. Wow. The bar for being a hero has been set real low.
Are financial incentives the best way to defeat COVID-19? One city thinks so.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130623 |
The city government of San Juan will be giving PHP100,000 worth of cash incentives to any of its 21 barangays that can record a zero case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in a span of 100 days straight.
Mayor Francis Zamora said the city government has passed a local ordinance granting cash incentives to villages that would be able to totally contain the further spread of Covid-19 within their communities.
"Ipinasa ang ordinansang ito upang mahikayat ang mga barangay na mapababa o mawalan ng cases ng Covid-19 sa kanilang nasasakupan (This ordinance was passed to encourage the barangays to reduce or eliminate Covid-19 cases in their localities)," Zamora said.
Zamora said the cash incentives won should be used for the barangay's Covid-related programs and activities.
It sounds like bribery but maybe it's actually game theory. Do they know what game theory is?
In the Philippines there are fake versions of everything. Even vaccines!
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1396822/public-warned-of-locally-manufactured-fake-covid-19-vaccines |
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday warned the public against purchasing locally made fake vaccines for Covid-19 as it could pose health risks.
“BOC warns the public to be careful when availing vaccines as fake vaccines may have severe health consequences to users as the composition of such vaccines are not tested and even worst fake vaccines may not be effective thus further exposing users to the dangers of Covid-19,” it said in a statement.
The BOC’s warning comes after Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto shared a photo of fake Pfizer vaccines on Twitter, warning people against buying illegally sold vaccines.
What is the origin of that picture? Are there really fake vaccines in the PHL? If so who has taken them, who has received them on delivery, and who is administering them? How does one even make fake vaccines!??
Some 36 people who have been staying in the forest for almost a year have been rescued by the local government of Arakan, North Cotabato, officials said Wednesday.
Arakan Mayor Rene Rubino said about 50 people have long been living deep in the forest in Barangay Libertad and three have died.
Locals said they belonged to a cult whose leaders have been telling the members they would be saved by a certain “Niño”, the grandson of Leonardo Capillan, a 61-year-old farmer who convinced his followers to stay with him in the jungles.
Residents of Barangay Libertad told Rubino that the group went to the forest last year to avoid getting infected by the coronavirus disease 2019.
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