By Katrina Gracia Consebido
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on local government units (LGUs) on Sunday, May 22, to look for unvaccinated individuals and those eligible to get COVID-19 booster shots amid the threat of the more transmissible BA.4 Omicron subvariant.
In a statement, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año cautioned that the BA.4 subvariant is “a threat to public health as it can evade immune protection from vaccination and prior infection.”
Año said LGUs “should maximize its resources” to urge unvaccinated and booster-eligible individuals to get vaccinated against a more transmissible Omicron subvariant to prevent a possible community transmission.
“We direct all LGUs to be proactive in its vaccination efforts and seek these people who are eligible for inoculation. The Department of Health’s (DOH) detection of BA.4 signals the need for a more aggressive action to ensure that the people are vaccinated and protected against this highly contagious variant of COVID-19,” Año said.
He stressed that BA.4’s ability for faster transmission “must be countered by improved vaccination turnout especially for people who are immunocompromised and vulnerable for possible transmission.”
“Kailangan itong tiyagain ng mga pamahalaang lokal. Millions of Filipinos have been vaccinated months ago and that can work against our goal of protecting our people sapagkat itong BA.4 ay nakakalusot sa bakuna lalo na kung matagal nang naturukan,” Año said.
“Kung kinakailangang katukin ang bawat bahay para malaman kung sino ang dapat bakunahan, iyan po ang gawin natin,” he added.
On Saturday, the DOH detected the first case of Omicron BA.4 subvariant from a Filipino citizen who flew in from the Middle East last May 4.
Omicron BA.4 is considered as a variant of concern, which is seen to “either spread faster or cause worse illness.” –gb
READ MORE: http://152.42.253.13/ph-detects-first-case-of-omicron-ba-4/
