CROWD-DRAWER. Supporters of UniTeam flock to the Tagum City Hall grounds in in Davao del Norte on Thursday (May 5, 2022). Presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, were joined by their senatorial bets. (PNA photo by Robinson Ninal Jr.) MANILA - The election period has reached fever pitch with miting de avance and various motorcades set until Saturday, the last day of campaign activities. As the Covid-19 crisis remains a pandemic despite the country's low-risk status, Dr. Ted Herbosa, National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 medical adviser, advised that it's much better to join election-related activities via virtual means. "If you are a senior citizen and with comorbidity, my advice for you is just to join through television or radios during the miting de avance because you might put yourself at risk. We have to be risk-free to avoid hospitalization and further infection. It is very important," Herbosa said, partly
(Photo courtesy of NTF Against Covid-19) MANILA - Some 6,702 eligible immunocompromised individuals have received their fourth Covid-19 dose or the second booster shot during the first-week rollout, the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) reported on Saturday. Overall, NVOC chairperson and Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said 146.7 million doses have been administered nationwide. Of the total, 67.8 million Filipinos have complete primary series of Covid-19 jabs but only 13.2 million of them have first booster shots. Cabotaje said the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council for the administration of the second booster shots to other priority groups is still under study. "If they already have sufficient data to come up with the recommendation, that's the time they will issue a recommendation for the other groups so let's just wait for it," Cabotaje said, partly in Filipino, at a virtual public briefing. She said the
KEEPING 'EM CLEAN. Boxes of United States-donated Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines are sprayed with disinfectant at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Paranaque City on Monday (March 7, 2022). The Philippines has so far received 231,505,650 doses of Covid-19 jabs. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon) MANILA - The Philippines has already received all the 10 million doses of Sputnik Covid-19 doses ordered from the Russian government, National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said Tuesday. Galvez said there will be no vaccine deliveries for now from Russia, which is locked in an armed battle against Ukraine. "Our contract with the Russian government has already been completed, including our contract with the Russian Direct Investment Fund. We contracted for 10 million and it's all done," Galvez said, partly in Filipino, in an interview during a vaccination activity in Makati City. OnNov. 19, 2021, a total of 2.8 million completed the dea
KEEPING 'EM CLEAN. Boxes of United States-donated Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines are sprayed with disinfectant at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Paranaque City on Monday (March 7, 2022). The Philippines has so far received 231,505,650 doses of Covid-19 jabs. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon) MANILA - The Philippines has already received all the 10 million doses of Sputnik Covid-19 doses ordered from the Russian government, National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said Tuesday. Galvez said there will be no vaccine deliveries for now from Russia, which is locked in an armed battle against Ukraine. "Our contract with the Russian government has already been completed, including our contract with the Russian Direct Investment Fund. We contracted for 10 million and it's all done," Galvez said, partly in Filipino, in an interview during a vaccination activity in Makati City. He added there's nothing to worry about "because
JAB AT JOB SITE. An employee of a business outsourcing company in Makati City gets her Covid-19 vaccine booster shot on Tuesday (March 8, 2022). The event is a prelude to the fourth edition of the national vaccination drive "Bayanihan, Bakunahan" on March 10 to 12. (PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.) MANILA - The government is mulling mandatory booster shots for senior citizens and those with comorbidities to prevent severe coronavirus infections that may result in deaths. National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said Tuesday that massive administration of booster shots "greatly contributed to decline of mortality rate in some countries". "During the height of many deaths, we've seen that those 59 years old and above, as well as those with comorbidities, were very vulnerable so it was suggested for them to get booster dose and even a second booster dose," Galvez said, partly in Filipino, during a media interview at