Ph, low-risk area for COVID – DOH

By Nidz Godino

"Because our two-week growth rate is negative and we can see that our average daily attack rate is at moderate risk... so the risk classification nationally is already at low risk," Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said two-week growth rate for COVID-19 cases nationwide has been declining, prompting health officials to announce that the country is already under "low risk" classification.

In a virtual briefing, De Guzman said current figures indicate  slowdown in infections, although the number of those getting ill is still higher compared to last year's peak.

From June 24 to June 30, the national ADAR is 5,772, almost half of the peak 10,845 ADAR recorded in April.

"It's areas outside NCR taking up a largest portion of new cases," De Guzman pointed out.

Although  "mix-and-match" approach for COVID-19 vaccines shows promise,  government will wait for recommendations from  World Health Organization before adopting the strategy, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said.

An Oxford study using Moderna and AstraZeneca brands for the first and second doses showed that the method seems very effective in having "good quality of anti-bodies and cell-mediated immunity."

"Yes, we are very much dependent on  clinical trials done especially in bigger centers and of course the WHO guidelines…and definitely, once there would be  very clear recommendation of mixing and matching different vaccines, I think, that would be the strategy of the national vaccination implementation," Vega said.

Malacañang admitted that global vaccine supply shortage is affecting the government's goal to reach  so-called "population control" for Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

"I understand that we have a shortage especially when it comes to vaccines but Iloilo is not  only one experiencing such problem… entire country and majority of the world have similar problems," presidential spokesman Herminio  Roque Jr. said "we ask your indulgence since there is scarcity of supply worldwide."

Meanwhile, Japanese embassy in Manila Chargé d'affaires ad interim Nakata Masahiro signed and exchanged notes with  Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to formalize  Japanese government's donation of one million AstraZeneca jabs, expected to arrive by July 8.

"With the upcoming arrival of these AstraZeneca vaccines, Japan hopes that it would help make  Philippines one step closer to its goal of herd immunity," the Japanese embassy said.

The donated jabs are manufactured in Japan and are part of  Japanese government's support to the ASEAN outside of the COVAX Facility.

In a joint statement,  World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization and World Trade Organization called on G20 to guarantee that at least 40 percent of the population in developing counties will be vaccinated by end-2021.

"As many countries are struggling with new variants and a third wave of COVID-19 infections, accelerating access to vaccines becomes even more critical to ending  pandemic everywhere and achieving broad-based growth," the organizations said.

 Majority  of  vaccines being distributed globally are manufactured by G20 countries, the US (Pfizer and Moderna), UK (AstraZeneca), China (Sinovac and Sinopharm), India (Covaxin) and Belgium (Johnson & Johnson).

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