Expert: Avoid ‘unwanted’ parties, gatherings amid Omicron threat

A vial and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed stock graph and words “Omicron SARS-CoV-2” in this illustration taken, November 27, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/file photo

MANILA, Philippines — An expert in infectious disease advised the public on Wednesday to avoid “unwanted” parties and gatherings amid the threat of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Dr. Rontgene Solante, chief of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine unit of the San Lazaro Hospital and a member of the Department of Science and Technology’s Vaccine Expert Panel, warned that there could be a surge of cases in January if people will be complacent in celebrating the Christmas holiday.

“We need more information about the Omicron variant of concern… We have to be careful, we have to follow the health protocol, and even kahit sabihin mong kill joy ako, please don’t engage in unwanted gatherings or even parties at this point in time,” he told ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart.

“It’s difficult celebrating this type of event when you have that possibility and we don’t know yet if we have it or not, and baka mabulaga na lang tayo na by January magsurge na tayo (we may be surprised to have a surge by January).

“That is something we don’t like to happen and especially for us healthcare workers. Pagod na talaga kami (we are really tired) and we will have this surge again. I don’t know what will happen to us,” said Solante.

There is still limited information about the Omicron variant that was first detected by South African scientists, but according to Solante, it may also be highly transmissible and evade antibodies from vaccines.

“These are all possibilities because this is the first time we have seen a variant of concern wherein we have—to be exact—32 mutations in the spike protein and these 32 mutations are really significant that it can be highly transmissible and can also affect our vaccines,” he said.

“Looking at the mutations, it’s really a concern among us experts at infectious diseases, and there’s a possibility that it can behave the same as Delta or even more,” the doctor noted.

The Philippines has yet to detect a case of the Omicron variant but according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, it’s entry to the country’s borders is not a question of if but of when.

/MUF