Coronavirus Lockdown: Refocus Drive on General Public Health, 44 Million Doses Wasted, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.

The pandemic is so bad that 8 towns in Pampanga are now COVID free. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1699239/8-pampanga-towns-now-covid-free

Eight of the 21 localities in Pampanga province have again obtained COVID-19-free status, the latest data from the provincial epidemiology and surveillance unit showed.

The towns with zero active cases include Magalang, Sasmuan, Santa Rita, Mexico, Masantol, Minalin, San Simon, and San Luis.

Arayat and Candaba towns have a single case each as of Nov. 27.

The City of San Fernando has the most active cases at 26, followed by Mabalacat City with nine and Bacolor town with eight.

Data also showed that the number of active cases in the province stood at 73. 

That is actually not so great seeing as in June 14 Pampanga towns were declared COVID free. 

Despite warning about Christmas parties the DOH says there is no COVID surge. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1700735/doh-no-covid-surge-despite-strains-holidays

Department of Health (DOH) officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire does not expect a resurgence in COVID-19 infections despite the presence of more immune-evasive Omicron subvariants and the expected in-person gatherings during the holidays.

At a press briefing on Friday, Vergeire expressed confidence that there would be no significant increase in the number of cases by the end of December “as long as the public knows how to protect themselves [against COVID-19].”

“We think that the increase in cases would not be felt as much,” said the health official. But what is “more important,” she said, is keeping severe and critical infections as well as hospitalizations at a manageable level.

The health agency expects daily cases to reach only up to around 3,100 by December, Vergeire said. The number, however, is nearly triple the current average number of infections at 1,288 per day.

The case projections for the coming Christmas season, however, are much higher than the recorded daily infections in late December last year which remained below the 1,000 level. But by January, the country bore the brunt of the highly contagious Omicron variant which pushed the country’s new cases to as high as around 39,000.

Meanwhile, pandemic monitor OCTA Research sees a “BQ.1 wave” this month, as it reports a continued rise in daily infections in Metro Manila.

The DOH OIC is confident there will be no surge “as long as the public knows how to protect themselves [against COVID-19].” I am pretty sure the public knows how to "to protect themselves [against COVID-19].” This is just a backhanded way to preemptively blame the public. 

It's the last month of the year and the state of emergency is almost up. Don't worry though because despite what you may be seeing with your eyes the state of emergency still exists!

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/853479/public-health-emergency-remains-due-to-covid-19-variants-threat-health-expert/story/

Infectious diseases expert Dr. Rontgene Solante said Sunday that among the reasons the state of public health emergency is not yet lifted in the country is due to the threat of COVID-19 variants of concern.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Solante said COVID-19 infections in the country are now “very stable” and even the hospitals are no longer getting overwhelmed with new cases.

“Maybe the only problem I see here on why we still can't get rid of the public health emergency is because of the threat of the variants of concern,” he said.

Variants are such a concern that the public health emergency should stay in place? Really?  That is not what Dr. Solante was saying in October. 

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/10/15/infectious-disease-expert-on-Omicron-subvariant-XBB.html

The new Omicron subvariant XBB may not be a cause for concern, but Filipinos are advised to remain careful and continue practicing health protocols, an infectious diseases expert said Saturday.

"As of now I don't see any cause (for) concern because (of) our positivity rate and number of cases per day, [I] think it's stable, it's not increasing that much," Dr. Rontgene Solante said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

"But again we need to monitor and we need to advise people to be careful." he added. "We should not be complacent about it."

It seems that not being "complacent about it" entails keeping the state of emergency so the government can do what it wishes with zero oversight. 

In the Davao Region the vaccination rate is 87%.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1189844

At least 87 percent of the targeted population for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination in Davao Region is now fully immunized, the regional Department of Health (DOH-11) office said Thursday.

In its weekly bulletin, DOH-11 said the figure equates to some 3,338,052 vaccinated individuals in the region as of Nov. 28.

The agency also said a total of 7,448,661 vaccine doses have been administered in the region.

Around 94.7 percent or 3,594,646 individuals have received their first dose of the vaccine that included the single shot Johnson and Johnson jabs.

Of the fully vaccinated, at least 17.6 percent or 668,678 individuals got their first booster shots, while 3.4 percent or 127,239 individuals were administered second booster shots.

To the casual observer those numbers are not so bad. In fact Davao City alone has achieved a 101% vaccination rate. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1947970/davao/local-news/davao-city-achieves-vaccination-rate-of-101-vs-covid-19

AMONG the cities and provinces in Davao Region, Davao City has the highest vaccination rate at 101 percent or around 1.3 million fully-vaccinated individuals.

On December 5, 2022, the Department of Health Davao Region (DOH-Davao) reported that the target population of Davao City to be vaccinated is 1,327,323 but has exceeded its expectation of total fully vaccinated individuals of 1,343,974, an excess of 16,651 individuals.

But for the DOH it's not enough. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1190123

The Department of Health (DOH) is keen on expanding vaccination coverage in the Davao Region as it kicked off Monday its nationwide Bakunahang Bayan Part 2 here.

In a media interview, Dr. Annabelle Yumang, DOH-Region 11 director, described the Bakunahang Bayan Part 2 as "a great opportunity" for the public to increase not only the region's vaccine coverage but the whole country as well.

"The local government units and other sectors of the government here in Davao Region continuously work for the benefit of the people," she said.

"We know that vaccination is still the best defense against Covid-19," Vergeire said.

Despite that mantra about vaccination being the best defense against COVID-19 vaccines are still going to waste.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/478257/doh-wasted-covid-19-jabs-now-at-44-million-doses

COVID-19 vaccines going to waste in the country due to expiration or mishandling continue to pile up.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said about 44 million doses had been wasted, of which 13 million were reported in the last two weeks.

DOH officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that of the total figure, 24.6 million doses had gone unused past their shelf life, while 6.7 million were discarded due to “operational” lapses in their storage or handling.

The cause of wastage for the remaining 12 million doses was still being determined, Vergeire said at a press briefing.

Of the vaccines that had expired, “almost 75 percent” were delivered to the country through procurements made by private companies and local governments, the health official noted.

Only about 2 percent of the total wastage came from batches procured by the national government, she added.

Vaccines lost to operational wastage mainly refer to dosages that were damaged due to mishandling during calamities, broken vials, discoloration or wrong storage temperature.

Still struggling to expand the country’s vaccination coverage, the DOH is set to hold another Bakunahang Bayan campaign from Dec. 5 to Dec. 7, this time focusing on giving primary shots to children age 5 to 11 years old.

While some wastage is expected this amount is unacceptable to many including lawmakers. 

The DOH is still in emergency mode as it deals with the pandemic but Marcos wants them to shift to covering general health concerns again. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1701993/fwd-marcos-jr-tells-doh-to-start-refocusing-on-general-public-health-concerns-prioritize-fight-vs-hiv-tuberculosis

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to now make the campaign against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) infections its priority aside from the battle against COVID-19.

According to Marcos, the government should now start concentrating on general public health matters alongside the pandemic.

“Let’s start refocusing again on the general public health concerns. Siyempre COVID has not come away. [We] still have to deal with it,” he told DOH officials in a meeting in Malacañang, as quoted in a statement released by the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS).

“But let’s not deal with COVID-19 at the expense of all these other public health concerns,” he added.

Perhaps he should start by appointing a DOH secretary. 

Travel restrictions continue to be relaxed.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1702431/no-more-vax-card-inspection-at-bacolod-silay-airport

The Negros Occidental government no longer requires passengers to present COVID-19 vaccination cards at the Bacolod-Silay Airport.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said he sent a letter to acting airport manager Roel Aranzado to inform him that the inspection of vaccination cards ended on Dec. 1.

“This was implemented to harmonize with domestic airport protocols, especially in Manila,” Diaz said.

At least 21 flights arrive at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in a day.

Diaz said the province’s vaccination inspection team at the airport had reported back to the capitol.

Despite easing restrictions, the local government reminds the public not to let their guard down against COVID-19.

Dropping vaccination card requirements at domestic airports is a huge change. Back in January the DOTr issued a "no vax, no fly" directive. We are a few steps closer to free travel once more.