Duterte on new COVID variants: Prepare for a more serious attack

MANILA, Philippines — Saying it’s “good to prepare for a more serious attack,” President Rodrigo Duterte said the government should continue improving its COVID-19 systems amid the rise of new variants.

During a taped briefing aired Tuesday, Duterte said that the country must “prepare for the worst” should there be a “more serious” COVID-19 variant to hit the country.

“I would be happy if you continue to build the infrastructure of our COVID-19 fight system because for as long as COVID-19 is here, it would take a lot of time before it would finally disappear—if at all—and with the advent of the new variants, it is good to prepare for a more serious attack,” Duterte said.

Duterte said the Philippine government is continuing and recalibrating its preparedness in accordance to the propagation of the new variants.

“Kung medyo palapit na palapit na at marami nang tinatamaan [If it really comes closer and a lot of people are already infected], then we will go full blast and making everything operational,” Duterte said.

On May 16, the country detected 10 new cases of the B.1.617.2 variant of COVID-19, which originated in India. Also detected were 13 new United Kingdom, or B.1.1.7 variant cases; seven South Africa, or B.1.351 variant cases; and one Philippines or P.3 variant case.

JPV