More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
Lockdowns are still here. They have not gone away nor are they going away anytime soon. The government is instructing LGUs to impose them.
Malacañang on Wednesday enjoined local government units (LGUs) to impose granular or localized lockdowns in areas with an uptick in Covid-19 cases to prevent infections from again reaching an alarming level.
Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said President Rodrigo Duterte and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) are concerned about the surge in infections, noting LGUs should step up in efforts to control the movement of people.
“Of course, we are getting worried, at dapat lang! Kaya ang panawagan (and we should! That is why our appeal is (sad) LGUs please enforce. Kapag may tumataas ang bilang ng kaso, granular lockdown. Hindi po nawala sa equation anggranular lockdown (If there is a rise in cases, granular lockdown. Granular lockdowns should not be erased from the equation),” he said in a Palace press briefing.
Nograles emphasized that it is the “responsibility” of LGUs to impose granular lockdowns, especially in areas where there is a “clustering of cases.”
He said granular lockdowns can be done on a household level, street level, purok (district) level, community level, and/or barangay level.
“Huwag nating kalimutan iyan, huwag nating hayaan na lumaki pa ito (Don’t forget that, let’s not allow this to get any worse),” he added.
He, however, also reminded the public that controlling the spread of Covid-19 is also everyone’s responsibility.
“(The responsibility should not just lie on the government or LGU, it also lies on all of us). It is a shared responsibility of all. Self-policing among yourselves, in your family, in your community, sa inyong (in your) barangay, lahat po tayo, huwag nating sayangin ang lahat ng pinaghirapan po nating lahat (all of us, let’s not put our efforts to waste),” he said.
In Metro Manila there are currently 5 areas under granular lockdown but that number is destined to increase as the number of COVID cases increases.
Iloilo City is considering banning unvaccinated people from public spaces.
The city government of Iloilo is planning to prohibit unvaccinated people from entering public places such as malls, movie houses and government offices to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID.
Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday announced that the city government is drafting an executive order that would ban unvaccinated people in these establishments.
The announcement drew mixed reactions from netizens, who said the city government should consider the possibility of the proliferation of fake vaccination cards once the order is imposed.
Some cited human rights, saying vaccination should be voluntary.
Others welcomed the move and expressed hope the ban would cover public markets.
In making the announcement, Treñas stressed the existence of the Omicron variant and the infection rates recorded in Australia, Europe and the United States.
“We need to ramp up vaccination and booster shots to give adequate protection to everyone,” Treñas said.
Is Mayor Jerry Treñas stupid? I guess he did not get the memo that the vaccine DOES NOT PREVENT infection or transmission of the virus. But don't take my word for it.
Another vaccinated resident here has contracted COVID-19, making her the second case in the city after it obtained a virus-free status on Christmas Day, local data showed.
The patient, a 19-year-old female resident of Barangay East Bajac-Bajac, showed symptoms of the viral disease, according to the city’s COVID-19 task force.
She and a 46-year-old man from Barangay Sta. Rita are the only COVID-19 cases in the city. The man had also been vaccinated against the disease but did not manifest symptoms.
Vaccines are worthless and even the Palace knows this. If vaccines were all they have been made out to be then surely anyone who is vaccinated would be able to meet with the President. However, that is not enough.
Malacañang on Thursday reminded visitors who wish to meet President Rodrigo Duterte to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) before they are allowed inside the Palace.
“Visitors and guests who wish to meet the President inside the Palace or attend a Palace engagement where the President is present must show a negative RT-PCR test result,” said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, acting presidential spokesperson.
He said visitors and guests must undergo antigen testing inside the Palace as part of their second screening.
“This forms part of the Palace health and safety protocol,” he added.
Visitors must undergo TWO SCREENINGS to visit with the President. Why? Because vaccination does not prevent transmission or infection.
The DOH has decided to stop publishing daily tallies of COVID cases on social media. Daily tallies will be available elsewhere.
Malacañang on Tuesday justified the Department of Health's decision to stop releasing daily COVID-19 case bulletins starting next year, saying the government is now focused on its vaccination program.
Last Monday, the DOH announced that it would no longer issue a separate social media card and PDF file of its daily pandemic situation report starting January, citing the need to "streamline public communication." Daily case updates would be provided through the COVID-19 tracker website updated every 4 p.m., the agency said.
"The reason behind that is right now, we are really ramping up our vaccinations and the focus right now is on the vaccination. We have a target that by (the) first quarter of next year, we will achieve the 77 million Filipinos fully vaccinated," acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing.
"So, we will focus on the vaccination and by focusing on the vaccination... we may see that the cases of COVID will be mild and asymptomatic only," he added.
Nograles said while vaccination does not stop the transmission of the virus, it prevents severe and critical cases, hospitalization and deaths.
"So, our focus (would really) be the vaccination rate and looking at hospital utilization rate, looking at critical and severe and even moderate cases. So that will be our basis," he added.
Nograles said the public could still find the pandemic numbers through the DOH's COVID-19 tracker website.
Even the DOH admits that vaccination does not stop infection or transmission. So what will they do when everyone is vaccinated and people are still getting infected with COVID? When does this all end?
Of all the unvaccinated people out there the Palace thinks 1.5 million seniors who have not been jabbed will out the nations health system at risk.
Malacañang on Friday called on the 1.5 million unvaccinated senior citizens to get inoculated against COVID-19, saying they might put the country at risk.
Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles made the appeal in the aftermath of the country posting a 6.6% COVID-19 positivity rate and recording at least four cases of the more transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
"We have 210 million COVID-19 vaccine doses delivered [so far]. The numbers speak for themselves. Get the message: it is time to get your jabs. The 1.5 million seniors who are unvaccinated, kaya po nitong punuin ang ating mga ospital (this can fill up our hospitals)," Nograles said.
"We cannot be complacent, we cannot take anything for granted. The Omicron threat is real. Pabakuna po tayo para iwas-ospital sa 2022 (Get vaccinated against COVID-19 so you won't end up in hospitals)," added.
At least 50 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez on Friday, a figure short of the government target of fully vaccinating 54 million Filipinos by year end.
"This [surge of cases] is not how we want to start 2022 so we should keep wearing face mask, wash our hands, maintain social distancing and please get vaccinated," Nograles added.
I wonder how many of those 50 million Filipinos who have been fully vaccinated understand that the vaccine does not offer any protection from the virus and that its efficacy actually wanes and that they will continually need more boosters?
By far the biggest story of the week is that a traveller from the USA bribed her hotel so she could skip quarantine and go party. She faces charges as does the hotel.
The woman who prematurely left her hotel quarantine facility in Makati City to party and later tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) will have to deal with cases to be filed by the government once she recovers.
Gwyneth Anne Chua, who came from Los Angeles, California, will be held liable for violating the state-mandated health protocols, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año.
The PNP was also mandated to inspect hotel facilities and make an accounting of persons under quarantine.
Danao appealed to the public to practice discipline and follow the Covid-19 safety protocols as the country's Covid-19 cases are increasing anew.
"(The key here is for people to have discipline. We can't guard everyone)," he said.
Chua checked in at Berjaya on December 22, went to a nearby bar the following day, tested positive on December 27, and was “extracted” from the Makati Avenue hotel on December 29, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Some of her fellow partygoers and bar staff likewise contracted the virus, the DOT said.
What is this thing about discipline? Is discipline going to stop the spread of the virus? What do they want? A total eradication of the virus? That's never going to happen. Face masks, social distancing, vaccination, none of that is stopping the spread of the virus.
The number of people with COVID-19 who are admitted at the Philippine General Hospital has nearly tripled in the six days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, according to the hospital’s spokesperson.
Dr. Jonas del Rosario told TeleRadyo on Saturday that the hospital is now tending to 85 patients as of December 31 from just 30 on December 25.
“For the past almost six days now, we have seen the steady increase of patients being admitted in our hospital with COVID,” Del Rosario said in Filipino, adding that they now admit six to eight patients infected with the coronavirus each day.
The PGH’s COVID-19 beds are now 85% full, as the hospital cut its COVID-19 bed capacity to just 100 from 300 after coronavirus infections declined in the country to 19-month lows in December.
The Philippines is facing another spike in coronavirus infections which the government has attributed to laxer compliance to minimum public health standards such as mask wearing and the possibility of local transmission of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
Is the Philippine government so out of touch that they don't know that infection rates are rising around the world and most especially in Europe which has some of the world's strictest health measures?
The narrative about the vaccines is that while they don't prevent infection they do prevent severe infection. That's not even true.
Eighty-five percent of COVID-19 patients at the intensive care units (ICU) requiring mechanical ventilators in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals in Metro Manila are not vaccinated, according to the agency.
“Over the week, we have noted a steady increase in hospital admissions in Metro Manila. Data from DOH hospitals in NCR [National Capital Region] shows that 85% of those in the ICU and requiring mechanical ventilators are not vaccinated at all,” the DOH said in a statement on Saturday.
“With both Delta and Omicron variants in our midst, we reiterate our call to all who have not yet availed of safe, effective, and free COVID-19 vaccines. Do not delay any further,” the DOH said.
DOH hospitals are government hospitals that are directly under the supervision of the health department. Management of other local hospitals has been transferred to local government units after the devolution of health services.
The health department reiterated that evidence is clear that vaccines can protect against severe and critical COVID-19 illnesses and death.
Vaccines protect against severe infections and death? The headline makes that out to be a lie. Are they forgetting that 15% of those admitted with severe cases ARE infected? Of course the DOH will ignore that elephant.
The government continues to blame the rise and spread of COVID on the public for not following minimum health standards. So, who is to blame for the PNP Chief contracting COVID?
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos has tested positive for COVID-19, he told reporters on Tuesday through a message, suspecting that he has been hit by the highly infectious Omicron variant.
“This is to confirm that I, PGen Dionardo B. Carlos, tested positive for COVID-19 (suspected Omicron variant),” Carlos said in a message to members of the PNP’s Press Corps.
Aside from him, Carlos said that his aide and driver who were with him in a car last Sunday morning were also infected. He said that they had themselves tested after some of the personnel in the official residence of the PNP chief experienced fever and chills.
“Last Sunday evening, … I subjected my close-in security, staff, and myself to RT-PCR tests due to reports of fever and chills experienced by my White House personnel,” he added.
“Unfortunately, I too, tested positive including my duty driver and aide who were with me in the van Sunday morning. I experienced fever, chills and body sweats Sunday evening but come Monday 03Jan22, only lower back pain remains,” he added.
Will the Palace publicly condemn the PNP Chief for not following health protocols? Will the Palace admit that vaccines do not prevent infection? No, probably not.
The madness is growing in strength this year already as the NCR has unanimously passed resolutions effectively banning unvaccinated people from public life. This means no leaving the house except for essential trips which must be proven. The DOJ says these resolutions are unenforceable without ordinances.
Local government units (LGUs) comprising the Metro Manila Council (MMC) must issue ordinances to enforce the proposal to restrict movement by unvaccinated individuals.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said MMC Resolution 22-01 issued Monday and approved by the 17 mayors “is not legally effective.”
“Local legislative councils exercise police power delegated unto them by the local government code, which was enacted by Congress,” Guevarra told reporters via text message on Tuesday. "The delegated police power authorizes them to pass such ordinances as they shall deem to be for the welfare of their constituents."
Local legislations are enforceable unless contested in courts.
"Are these measures reasonably necessary and not unduly oppressive upon individuals? Are these repugnant to the constitution? This is a matter for the courts to determine. Unless judicially restrained, however, these public health measures may actually be executed and enforced," he said.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Benjamin Abalos Jr. said on Monday the resolution would apply “enhanced restrictions” to unvaccinated individuals to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and its variants.
The resolution is temporary and may be lifted once the National Capital Region (NCR) reverts to a lower status from the current Alert Level 3 that is effective until January 15.
The LGUs will mandate unvaccinated individuals to remain in their residences at all times except for the procurement of essential goods and services, such as food, water, medical services, and public utilities.
Individual outdoor exercise is allowed regardless of inoculation status, age, or comorbidities within “the general area of their residence,” subject to LGU guidelines.
Unvaccinated individuals are prohibited from indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants and other food establishments and leisure and social trips to malls, hotels, event venues, sports, and country clubs, and similar facilities.
They are also barred from public transportation via land, sea, and air except for the procurement of essential goods and services.
Duterte, in his usual bombastic manner, has taken this to the extreme telling the unvaccinated they will be arrested if they leave thier homes.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said those who refused to get vaccinated against Covid-19 should just “stay home” or risk getting jailed and arrested.
Duterte made this statement after Metro Manila mayors agreed to pass local ordinances that will restrict the movements and activities of unvaccinated people amid a steep increase of infections in the region.
“(If barangay captains know you are unvaccinated, they can just say ‘Don’t leave your homes’ but if you leave), you will be escorted…If you force the issue, the barangay captain can place you under arrest and dalhin ka sa estasyon (bring you to a police station),” he said.
Citing health experts, Duterte said those who refused getting their jabs are at higher risk of contracting severe illness, complications, and death.
“There is a high chance that if you get infected, you will die. So there are few deaths, thank God. But there still are. Perhaps they’re unvaccinated),” he said.
Duterte said vaccines are necessary because these provide a defense, no matter how small, against the deadly virus.
He also said it is the only way to avoid more problems from arising.
“(Now, if you ask help from me, I’ll tell you that I won’t help because you didn’t get vaccinated. If you’re vaccinated, I won’t have a problem and you won’t have a problem. Now if you die, you’re on your own),” he said.
While this scenario of being arrested for going outside your home unvaccinated has no legal basis what we see here is the mindset of, not just Duterte, but all those in power. They continue to push unscientific authoritarian measures thinking they will stop the spread of the virus. They won't.
