Gov’t warned vs easing NCR’s COVID-19 alert level too early amid Omicron

Children play at a public park, as the country’s capital region loosens coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, November 2, 2021. Picture taken November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

MANILA, Philippines — An infectious disease expert on Monday warned against easing restrictions in Metro Manila too early amid the threat of the Omicron variant, saying the country’s capital region should stay under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 until the end of the year.

“Nandun pa rin ‘yung threat ng Omicron variant… Sana ma-extend ng until the end of the month para lang mailagay pa rin natin sa Alert Level 2 until such time we can get better information about the Omicron variant,” Dr. Rontgene Solante said in an interview over Teleradyo.

(The threat of the Omicron variant is still there and what we want is that hopefully the Alert Level 2 will be extended until the end of the month until such time we can get better information about the Omicron variant.)

Solante is the 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.

Metro Manila is currently under Alert Level 2 until December 15.

“Kung magluwag na tayo, hindi pa natin alam ang status ng Omicron variant, baka alanganin,” he added.

(Because if we relax it a bit when we don’t know the status of the Omicron variant, we’re placed in an uncertain situation.)

“Alam naman natin ngayong holiday season, marami talagang gatherings, mga parties, sana magingat lang,” he further said.

(We know that during the holiday season, there will be a lot of gatherings and parties, we have to be careful.)

Solante also cited the highly transmissible Delta variant, which, he stressed, remains the “dominant” SARS-CoV-2 variant in the Philippines and other countries. The SARS-CoV-2 is the latest strain of coronavirus that causes the serious respiratory illness COVID-19.

“Ang dominant variant sa ibang mga bansa, including the Philippines, is the Delta variant. Ang Delta variant, mataas ang transmissibility nito, isa sa mga factors diyan na talagang di muna tayo magluwag ng alert level natin,” he added.

(The dominant variant in other countries, as well as the Philippines, is the Delta variant. The Delta variant has high transmissibility, this is also one of the factors why we should not ease the alert level yet.)

READ: Delta now most dominant variant in PH — WHO

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, for his part, reiterated his support to keep Metro Manila under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 until the end of the month.

“I do support the extension of the Alert Level 2,” Duque told INQUIRER.net over the phone.

According to Duque, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will likely discuss the alert level status of Metro Manila this Wednesday or Thursday.

“Thursday is the schedule. Baka nga Wednesday meron na, depende. Kasi [December] 15 na sa Wednesday, tapos na ‘yung period within which the Alert Level 2  is prescribed,” he added.

(We have a scheduled meeting on Thursday. But Maybe by Wednesday, a decision will be made already. It’s already December 15 on Wednesday, the last day of the period within which the Alert Level 2 is prescribed.)

READ: IATF sets new alert levels for December 1-15

“I cannot speak for them,” the health chief also said when asked about the general tone among IATF members regarding the alert level status of the country’s capital.

“They have their own thoughts and we process, we arrive at a consensus,” Duque added.

KGA