Data shows NCR may be ‘Delta resilient’ in a few months — OCTA

Residents undergo counseling before receiving their first dose of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Barangay Sucat Covered Court, in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines, June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

MANILA, Philippines — Data in terms of COVID-19 vaccination shows that the National Capital Region (NCR) may be “Delta resilient” in a few months’ time, the OCTA Research said Wednesday.

OCTA Research fellow and molecular biologist Fr. Nicanor Austriaco said that local government units in the NCR have so far administered the first COVID-19 dose to between 20 to 70 percent of their population.

“Each LGU has vaccinated between 20 percent to 70 percent of their population, one dose, which suggests that a month from now or a month and a half from now, that [percentage] will be fully vaccinated people,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

“And so, the data suggests that in a few months, the NCR particularly, may be ‘Delta resilient’ and if this is the case, this is good news for the country,” he added.

As of July 5, the Philippines has recorded a total of 19 cases of the highly infectious Delta variant, including two new cases reported on Monday.

On Tuesday, the Philippines logged 4,114 additional COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines has so far received 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, of which some 12 million have been administered. Of the administered doses, nine million were first doses and 2.9 million were second doses.

However, some LGUs in Metro Manila had to suspend or limit their vaccinations. These LGUs include Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Malabon, Valenzuela, Makati, Caloocan, and Pateros.

Meanwhile, the vaccine supply of Pasig has been dwindling and would only last for a few more days.

PH ‘doing as best as it can’

Austriaco, however, believes that the national government is “doing as best as it can” despite the “severe global shortage” of anti-COVID jabs.

“I am a Filipino-American and I have been struck by the tremendous gap between the U.S. and the Philippines, my two home countries, with regards to access to vaccines, so I am not going to fault the government at this time for the delayed rollout, we just simply could not get vaccines,” Austriaco, also a priest, said.

“In terms of the vaccines… I’ve been impressed that given the severe global shortage, the Philippine government is doing as best as it can given that limitation to roll out to protect the Filipino people,” he added.

EDV