Herd immunity percentage should be higher amid COVID variants — Vico Sotto

(FILE) EXPRESS LANE Julie Ann Lansang, who is 33 weeks pregnant, receives the China-made Sinovac vaccine during a two-day inoculation drive organized by the Office of the Vice President and the Pasig City government at Manggahan High School in Pasig City last week. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The herd immunity percentage should now be higher as the virus that causes COVID-19 is mutating into more transmissible variants, said Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto.

“Several months ago, I talked to several medical experts and even statisticians who are saying that as the virus becomes more infectious and other factors come into play as well, that 70-percent number, logically, will increase,” Sotto explained on INQside Look on Wednesday.

Sotto added that he does not want to be pessimistic, but is just being realistic.

He said that the government should not give a “false expectation” that once 70 percent of the population has been vaccinated, everything will return to normal.

“Kailangan sabihin natin, ipakita natin, ilatag na natin sa taumbayan na ‘yung 70 percent might not be enough,” Sotto said.

(We have to tell them, show them, tell the public that the 70 percent might not be enough).

“We have to listen to the experts in the medical field. Listen to the experts, statisticians, and people with other expertise as well,” the Pasig City mayor suggested.

With this, along with an unstable vaccine supply, Pasig City is uncertain when it can inoculate 100 percent of its target population, Sotto said.

“Ang hirap magbigay ng projections. Ang hirap magbigay ng forecast patungkol sa kung kailan natin maaabot ang mga target number natin dahil hindi natin kontrolado kung kailan dumarating ang bakuna dito sa lungsod natin,” Sotto added.

(It is difficult to give projections. It is hard to give a forecast regarding when we could reach our target number because we do not control when the vaccines arrive in the city.)

As of August 26, Pasig City has vaccinated 349,165 for the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 208,421 individuals have received the second dose and are now fully vaccinated. Pasig City aims to vaccinate 421,659 of its residents against COVID-19.

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