Manila Covid-19 Field Hospital (PNA photo by Ben Briones) MANILA-The rise in Covid-19 cases due to the emergence of variants of concern (VOC) will not determine the risk classification of an area. Dr. Rontgene Solante, Vaccine Expert Panel member, said it has always been the practice of health authorities to monitor health care utilization rate and cross tabulated it with average daily attack rates and thresholds. "With this current variants of concern, alam natin na napakataas ng hawaaan (we know that infections are really increasing) but we expect na less number ang ma-hospitalize at mag-develop ng severe (that there will be less number of hospitalized and those will develop a severe) infection," he said during Tuesday's "Laging Handa" public briefing. Solante emphasized that the government's massive vaccination program helped in lowering hospitalization and mortality rates. The World Health Organization said four Omicron variants are classified as VOC as
MANILA-No severe coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases so far have been recorded by health authorities despite having an uptick of active cases, Vaccine Expert Panel member, Dr. Rontgene Solante, said Wednesday. In a televised public briefing, Solante cited those Covid-19 patients needing oxygen treatment and experiencing respiratory failures have been significantly reduced, following the surge caused by the coronavirus variant. "Well, one good thing, one good news is that despite na nakikita natin na may kaunting uptick ang mga kaso ngayon (seeing a slight uptick now in cases), we have never seen any more Covid cases na talagang nagsi-severe (that are really severe)," he said. The OCTA Research Group earlier said Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila have climbed to 1.4 percent this week, compared to 1.2 percent in the previous week. The one-week average daily attack rate also increased from 0.51 to 0.52, however it remained at low risk. "So our assumption to this is that,
Vaccine Expert Panel member Dr. Rontgene Solante (File photo) MANILA - The Philippines now is "better off" prepared to exit the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Vaccine Expert Panel member, Dr. Rontgene Solante, said Wednesday. "I think we are on that process now. Our mindset is hopefully we can be exiting with this pandemic, we can exit with this pandemic," Solante said at the Laging Handa press briefing. Solante said the continuous reduction of active Covid-19 cases is an indication that the country can now deal with the virus. "We know how to deal with it [virus] and I think isa sa mga punto natin dito (one of our points here) is we also have available antiviral agents that are appropriate against this infection, we have oral antiviral, we have IV [Intravenous] antivirals," he added. Solante said the country's healthcare facilities are equipped with how to deal with severe Covid-19 symptoms. "So, for me, we are better off prepared