MANILA, Philippines — There is no shortage of paracetamol in the country, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez assured the public on Monday.
When asked if the government has enough supply of paracetamol amid its supposed scarcity, Lopez said that they have not received any shortage reports.
“Wala po kaming natatanggap na report on the shortage lalo na ‘yung mga paracetamol, wala ho. Ang dami ho niyan tsaka ang dami pang generics niyan. So, hindi po concern ‘yun,” he explained during the Laging Handa briefing.
(We have not received reports of paracetamol shortage. There are many of them, especially the generic ones. So, that is not a concern.)
Paracetamol is a drug taken to treat mild to moderate pain caused by headaches or colds, among others, and to lower fever.
Lopez also recalled that during the Delta COVID-19 variant surge, the country was in need of many oxygen tanks. Despite the influx of cases, there was no shortage of oxygen tanks, he noted.
The secretary hoped that the Omicron COVID-19 infections would not be severe that oxygen tanks would be required.
“At this point, I’d like to also mention, naalala niyo nu’n ‘yung sa Delta? Nangailangan tayo ng maraming oxygen. Again, with God’s grace, hindi naman po tayo kinulang din ng oxygen kahit nung dumami ‘yung daily cases,” he pointed out.
(Do you remember back then during the Delta surge? We needed many oxygen tanks. Again, with God’s grace, we did not lack oxygen despite the rise in daily cases.)
“And hopefully, itong cases ng Omicron would be cases na hindi aabot sa severity, hindi magiging malala that will require oxygen,” Lopez said.
(And hopefully, Omicron COVID-19 cases would not be severe to the point that will require oxygen.)
READ: DOH cites ‘high possibility’ of Omicron variant’s local transmission
Based on a study by a Japanese scientist who advises the country’s health department, the Omicron variant is believed to be four times more infectious in its early stage than Delta.
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