The OCTA Research team continues to see a decline in the COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.
According to OCTA Research team fellow Dr. Guido David, the reported cases in the region have gone down to more than 1,000 cases per day. However, despite the reproduction number declining to 0.53, it is not a reason to be complacent.
“We should remind everyone that even though we made significant improvements, the NCR will always be at risk of another surge. We don’t know, when this may happen, there are variants arising in the world…Complacency may lead to another surge,” David said.
The research group again asserted that the NCR must be prioritized in the vaccination program since it is the epicenter of COVID-19 in the country.
OCTA fellow Fr. Nicanor Austriaco said that mass vaccination for population protection is possible in the NCR Plus 8 areas if the number of vaccination remains at 200,000 to 300,000 per day from June to November.
The NCR Plus 8 areas consist of Metro Manila, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Rizal, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.
He added that containment of COVID-19 is possible by October in the NCR Plus 8 if the rate is 250,000 per day
“The NCR Plus 8, these are the hottest areas of the pandemic in our country, the head of the snake, and we cut off the head, then it’s the head that is feeding the surges nationally.” Report from Mark Fetalco/NGS-rir
