By Lade Jean Kabagani | Philippine News Agency
The government has not yet recorded a community transmission of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) coronavirus variant amid its emergence in the Philippines, an official of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said Thursday (Dec. 24).
Dr. Kezia Lorraine Rosario of NVOC, however, said the threat that the newly detected Omicron variant could spread locally remains, despite the continuing downtrend in the country’s COVID-19 cases.
Rosario warned the public not to be complacent.
“Ito rin iyong isang news na we are very thankful of. However, with the entrance of Omicron in the Philippines… even though hindi pa tayo naka-report na there is a community transmission na, ito ‘yung tinitingnan din natin that we need really to prepare for Omicron as soon as possible and we should not let our guards down,” she said at the Laging Handa briefing.
Rosario said the national government had re-strategized its plans and course of action to address a possible surge in cases due to the variant as early as last week.
“Even though medyo low iyong cases natin ngayon, and we are very thankful for that, but we need to ensure na ma-address din natin iyong Omicron,” she added.
Rosario said vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. has called for a meeting with all the concerned agencies, regional offices, and members of the task forces “to address and to make plans against the threat of the Omicron variant.”
“We are planning in all areas whether it be in the response and the vaccination, kung paano natin paghandaan, even though that we’re now enjoying the low cases,” she added.
The Philippines has so far logged three cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant. (PNA) – jlo
