FILE PHOTO: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (greenish brown) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (pink), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday hoped that the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic would continue as Filipinos remain vigilant against new coronavirus variants.
Acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar made the statement following the Nikkei COVID-19 Recovery Index, which ranked the Philippines 33rd among 121 countries in terms of COVID-19 recovery.
He said that this assessment “reaffirms the effective recalibration of strategies of the Philippines in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This includes the country’s shift to the least restrictive Alert Level 1 and the opening of borders while adhering to minimum public health standards and ramping up vaccination efforts including boosters.
“The Palace welcomes the latest Nikkei COVID-19 Recovery Index showing the Philippines climbing to 33rd spot in May 2022 from December 2021’s 57th spot,” Andanar said in a statement.
“We hope this trend would continue as we remain vigilant with the emergence of new variants while vigorously pursuing the economy’s full recovery,” he added.
According to the recovery index, the Philippines has had a consistent decline in new cases, with low to no confirmed fatalities in the past weeks despite opening its borders to international tourists in February.
The Nikkei COVID-19 Recovery Index’s idea of a “recovered” state is a low COVID-19 transmission, low death rates, high vaccine coverage, and few movement prohibitions.
The index is based on objective measures of infection management, vaccine rollout, and social mobility.
Qatar, Cambodia, United Arab Emirates, Rwanda, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, South Korea, Dominican Republic, and Nepal are the countries that topped the index.