More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
2022 is quickly spiraling into a year of intense authoritarianism. First the NCR mandated that all unvaccinated people must not leave their homes. Now Duterte has made this a nationwide policy.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1537440/duterte-order-to-restrain-the-unvaccinated-applies-nationwide-palace |
President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to “restrain” unvaccinated individuals from going out of their houses is applicable nationwide regardless of an area’s alert level status, Malacanang said Friday.
“Sa declaration, pronouncement at direktiba ni Pangulo, it appears na regardless [of alert level] e nationwide po yan,” acting presidential spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a Palace briefing.
(It appears that based on the President’s declaration, pronouncement, and directive, it appears that the order is applicable nationwide and regardless of the alert level.)
(His instructions to barangay chiefs is to appeal to those unvaccinated not to go outside their homes unless it’s not essential or not for work purposes.)
Nograles said the chief executive’s order is meant to ensure the safety and protection of those who remain unvaccinated as well as the rest of the population.
(So we can curb the spread of the virus, to protect those unvaccinated because we can see from the data that if one is unvaccinated and gets COVID, their condition turns severe and critical.)
Duterte has even given instructions to arrest unvaccinated persons who defy this order. Again, there is no science to support such draconian measures. The fact is the vaccines offer limited protection and their efficacy wanes. One can be vaccinated and still become infected and infect others with the virus. That is a fact.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1164675 |
A total of 15 personnel of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) have tested positive for Covid-19, PSG commander Colonel Randolph Cabangbang said on Thursday.
Cabangbang said they found out they were infected after undergoing mandatory seven-day quarantine and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests upon returning from their holiday break.
“All personnel were fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic. This Command, through PSG Task Force Covid-19 is attending to the personnel in accordance with IATF/DOH [Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases/Department of Health] protocols,” he said in a press statement.
Many COVID cases are asymptomatic and COVID itself is survivable barring any comorbidites such as obesity or diabetes or some other severe illness. The PNP has experienced a surge in cases as 295 personnel tested positive for the virus.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1164663 |
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday reported 295 new coronavirus infections among its personnel.
In its latest Covid-19 bulletin, the PNP Health Service said Thursday's infections are nearly triple from Wednesday's 100 new cases.
This brought the active case count to 552, more than double from Wednesday's 262.
Three new recoveries, meanwhile, raised the total count to 41,968 out of a total of 42,645 confirmed cases. The death toll remains at 125.
PNP records also show that 215,375 personnel (95.57 percent) are already fully vaccinated, while 8,456 (3.75 percent) are waiting for their second dose.
There are still 1,523 PNP personnel (0.68 percent) that have yet to receive any dose of the vaccine.
With their vaccination rates we can safely assume these new infections are amongst the fully vaccinated. That is because vaccination does not protect you from the virus. But science barring the unvaccinated from going to malls and other places.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1536566/pnp-to-assist-in-barring-unvaxxed-from-entering-malls-other-establishments |
The Philippine National Police on Wednesday said that it will assist in the implementation of the requirement that valid vaccination cards be presented upon entry to malls and other public establishments in Metro Manila.
This came after local government units in Metro Manila, which is currently under Alert Level 3 status, passed ordinances that prohibit unvaccinated individuals from going outside their residences, except for essential trips.
According to the PNP, it will “assist in the enforcement of mandates that will require the public to present valid vaccination cards upon entry to malls and other establishments if there is an ordinance affecting this action.”
The PNP have now erected 34 checkpoints all around the NCR to ensure that unvaccinated people aren't roaming about.
The DOTr will also have roving personnel conducing random antigen tests on riders.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1535171/dotr-to-conduct-random-antigen-tests-on-lrt-mrt-passengers-trains-to-remain-at-70-percent-capacity |
The Department of Transportation DOTr will conduct random antigen tests on consenting passengers of the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit System (LRT) as Metro Manila again faces a rise in COVID-19 cases.
The move, which the DOTr announced on its Facebook page on Sunday, is part of an order issued by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade for rail systems to enforce strict health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 after the national government placed Metro Manila under a stricter Alert Level 3.
“The random antigen testing of consenting and volunteering passengers is intended to guide us in the adoption of any further needed measures,” Transportation Undersecretary Timothy Batan said.
“Passengers who volunteer to be tested will be permitted to proceed with their trip after testing, and will be informed of their test results by text message,” he added.
How exactly is this going to work? What if someone refuses? Will they be booted off the MRT? With many COVID cases being asymptomatic one could test positive without realizing they were even sick. And then what? They will be whisked away to a quarantine center for 14 days and their whole life will be turned upside down all over a virus that has a 97% recovery rate!
Not only have barony officials been told to "restrain" unvaccinated persons from going out but DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya has resorted to painting a wrong picture about those who refuse to get vaccinated.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2022/01/09/some-people-still-believe-covid-vaccine-would-turn-them-into-zombies-dilg-official/ |
The belief that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine would turn them into zombies is discouraging some people to be inoculated, a ranking official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) disclosed on Sunday, Jan. 9.
DILG spokesperson Usec. Jonathan Malaya said he himself was surprised of this bizarre belief based on the information he had been receiving in the past.
“Akala natin kwento kwento lang yan but I’ve heard of that so many times sa Quezon (province), sa Bicol (region), sa kung saan saan ano (I thought it with was merely hearsay but I’ve heard of that (zombie news) so many time in Quezon, Bicol and various areas),’’ Malaya said.
He also disclosed that there are some religious groups who have been telling their followers that vaccination is demonic or satanic.
“(We are always telling that the government will not do anything that will harm the public),’’ he added.
Malaya said that the government had already coordinated with the religious groups stressing that these bizarre stories have no basis reiterating that putting the people’s lines at risk during the pandemic is out of the equation.
It appears he has only heard this information secondhand. Funny how he wants to paint the unvaccinated as irrational when there are very rational reasons not to get vaccinated such as adverse effects, no idea of that the long term effects are, that the virus is hardly deadly with a 97% survival rate, and that mRNA vaccines are experimental. The experimental nature of the vaccines are actually noted in RA 11525 which established the COVID-19 vaccination program.
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| https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2021/02feb/20210226-RA-11525-RRD.pdf |
For this bonehead to go on blabbering about some people believing in zombie apocalypses and satanic conspiracies without addressing the real problems with the vaccine is disgustingly dishonest.
What is the best way to fight the virus? Is it to strengthen your immune system through healthy eating and exercising? According to the government by getting injected with the experimental mRNA vaccine.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1164879 |
The Department of Health (DOH) has emphasized anew that the vaccine is still the best defense against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), downplaying an OCTA Research member’s claim that the Omicron variant could act as a natural vaccine.
OCTA Research fellow, Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, said Thursday the Omicron variant can act as a natural vaccine as it struggles to infect the lungs that even with 70 times more virus, “the symptoms will likely appear milder.”
Austriaco noted that individuals who survive the Omicron variant will get antibodies that could provide protection against it and such other variants as Delta, Gamma, Beta, Alpha, and D614G.
Thus, population protection is achieved and the pandemic ends, Austriaco claimed.
On the contrary, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said mild symptoms are still manifestations of the infection and are still a way of transmission.
The public must not be complacent even if the variant only manifests mild symptoms, Vergeire said in a message to reporters Friday night.
“The World Health Organization pronounced that the Omicron variant is still a virus and not a natural vaccine,” she said. “The DOH states that the more transmission, the more the virus can mutate and replicate. While we recognize natural immunity, the DOH emphasizes the importance of vaccine-induced immunity.”
Citing that not all individuals can acquire natural immunity, Vergeire noted vaccines provide the best protection from the virus and prevent hospitalization.
“With acquiring the vaccine, we have lower chances of getting severe to critical symptoms. Likewise, in vaccines, it does not only provide protection against the virus but also protection to people around you, especially your loved ones,” she added.
That is such a lie. The vaccine does not prevent infection or transmission. The vaccine does not provide immunity. There really is no 100% protection against the virus. Just take a look at DILG Secretary Año who has contracted COVID for the third time despite being fully vaccinated.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1538828/ano-contracts-covid-19-for-the-3rd-time |
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday said he is currently under isolation after he contracted COVID-19 for the third time.
In a statement on Tuesday, Año said his reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test yielded a positive result. His close contacts were also confirmed positive of the virus.
“After several of my close contacts had tested positive, last night I also received a positive COVID-19 RT-PCR test result,” he said.
“Thankfully, I remain asymptomatic as of now. I will continue to work while isolating,” he added.
The interior chief pushed the public to get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster, and to continue complying with health protocols.
“I encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boostered as soon as possible, and to continue following health protocols,” Año urged.
How is this supposed to instill confidence in the vaccine? It's all the more (comical, tragic, hypocritical?) as this man has now ordered all barangays across the nation to compile a list of unvaccinated residents in their area.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1539504/dilg-tightens-noose-as-barangays-ordered-to-submit-list-of-unvaccinated |
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered barangays to identify and submit a list of residents still unvaccinated against COVID-19, an official said Wednesday.
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has already issued a memorandum circular directing village chiefs to identify their unvaccinated residents.
This is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals amid the surge of COVID-19 infections in the country.
(To be accurate on the data of unvaccinated people, Sec. Año has issued a memorandum circular that directs barangays to list down unvaccinated residents.)
When the inventory is finished, barangays and local government units can already implement the restrictions on unvaccinated people through a local ordinance.
So far, only three local government units in Metro Manila has yet to issue an ordinance on the restriction of unvaccinated individuals and these are cities Makati, Pasig and Navotas.
Malaya said the ordinances in these cities are still under discussion but this is expected to be approved since Metro Manila mayors, through the Metro Manila Council, have agreed to restrict the movement of unvaccinated residents.
He also said local governments in provinces are expected to follow suit and issue their respective ordinances.
“The ordinances will serve as guidelines of barangays and of the police sa implementation ng direktiba ng Pangulo to restrict the mobility of the unvaccinated,” he said.
Goodness knows how they will do go about obtaining these names? Will they go from door to door asking to see your papers? Does that sound familiar!?
