(file photo) MANILA - The Covid-19 situation in the country has become manageable due to the government's intensified and more improved vaccination program, OCTA Research fellow, Dr. Guido David said Monday. David, speaking at the Laging Handa public briefing, cited the country has a "successful" vaccination program. "Malaking tulong nito (vaccination) sa pagpapabuti ng kalagayan natin sa bansa. Kung hindi dahil dito baka nagla-lockdown pa din tayo (This has contributed to improving the situation in our country. Without this, we might be imposing lockdowns until now)," he said. The country's "wall of immunity" has also been improved by the government's massive vaccination program, he added. "Kahit magkaroon tayo ng uptick or pagtaas ng kaso, tingin ko mostly mild na lang yung mga kaso (Even if there's an uptick or spike of cases, I think , it would be mostly mild cases)," David said, urging the remaining unvaccinated population to
FOURTH LAYER. Awoman with underlying health conditions receives her second Moderna booster shot from a medical staff of the Philippine National Police at V-Mall Greenhills, San Juan City on Tuesday (April 26, 2022).Adults who belong to the immunocompromised category (with HIV, active cancer or malignancy, transplant recipients, undergoing steroid treatment, patients with poor prognosis or bedridden) will be prioritized for the second booster shot. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon) MANILA - Despite predictions that Covid-19 cases will increase anew amid loosened restrictions and campaign-related mass gatherings, OCTA Research projected a low hospitalization rate due to high vaccination coverage. OCTA Research fellow Dr. Ranjit Rye urged the public during Tuesday's "Laging Handa" public briefing to complete their primary Covid-19 vaccine series and get boosted as "there is a very big possibility of cases going up". Rye said a new surge is "inevitable" now tha
(File photo) MANILA - The number of new Covid-19 cases in the National Capital Region and 38 other areas under Alert Level 1 continues to go down, an OCTA Research Group fellow said Monday. Since the group's prediction of less than 1,000 new cases by March, Dr. Guido David noted that the numbers might continue to decrease to a few hundred at the end of the month. "Medyo nag-slow down, pero bumababa pa rin, 'yun ang mahalaga (It has slowed down, but it's still going down, that's the important thing)," David said in a televised public briefing. "About 300 to 500 [new cases] tulad ng nakita natin December last year bago pumasok ang taon na ito (just like what we've seen in December last year before this year entered." The slow downward trend in the Covid-19 numbers could be attributed to decreased vaccination data and population protection, he added. To continue the decrease in cases, the group said the public must continue adhering to minimum publi
(File photo) MANILA - The number of new Covid-19 cases in the National Capital Region and 38 other areas under Alert Level 1 continues to go down, an OCTA Research Group fellow said Monday. Since the group's prediction of less than 1,000 new cases by March, Dr. Guido David noted that the numbers might continue to decrease to a few hundred at the end of the month. "Medyo nag-slow down, pero bumababa pa rin, 'yun ang mahalaga (It has slowed down, but it's still going down, that's the important thing)," David said in a televised public briefing. "About 300 to 500 [new cases] tulad ng nakita natin December last year bago pumasok ang taon na ito (just like what we've seen in December last year before this year entered." The slow downward trend in the Covid-19 numbers could be attributed to decreased vaccination data and population protection, he added. To continue the decrease in cases, the group said the public must continue adhering to minimum publi
(File photo) MANILA - Business activities have picked up since the government placed the National Capital Region (NCR) under Alert Level 2 as both public and private sectors want to give Filipinos a better Christmas season this year. However, the Omicron variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) that emerged in November is bringing uncertainties, including another round of lockdown in Metro Manila. Despite the news about the possible impacts of the Omicron variant, OCTA Research fellow Prof. Guido David said threats of another lockdown in NCR are "much lower" given the current state of the health care utilization in Metro Manila and other parts of the country. In a webinar organized by Cardinal Santos Medical Center Friday, David said between November 26 and December 2, 2021, the average number of new cases per day is 551 from 1,635 in the same period last year. The positivity rate has gone down to 2.1 percent in the said period this year from 5.1 percent in 2020. Occupa