The OCTA Research team recommended withdrawing the policy of allowing children ages 5 years old and above to go outside their homes following the reported local cases of the Delta variant in the Philippines.
OCTA Research member Dr. Guido David said on Sunday (July 18) based on the data of the countries with reported Delta variant cases, children are part of the vulnerable population against COVID-19.
“Marami ng bakunado sa United Kingdom 60% so nagluwag na sila nang todo-todo. Halos no restrictions na. Pero nung nagka-surge sila ng Delta variant, and in fact, 98% ng cases nila sa UK ngayon, Delta variant eh. So nagluwag sila, ang maraming tinamaan, ang maraming nahawaan ng COVID ay ‘yung mga hindi pa bakunado, tsaka ‘yung mga bata,” he said.
David added that acquiring “long COVID” has been observed in other patients.
“Ibig sabihin kahit na gumaling pa sila, may dala-dala na silang long-term effects nitong virus so gusto nating iwasang mangyari ‘yun sa mga kabataan natin,” he said.
According to the Department of Health’s (DOH) data, as of July 18, 27,446 children aged 4 years and below, 28,577 children aged 5 to 9, and 39,460 aged 10 years old to 14 have contracted COVID-19.
The research group emphasized that the public must be proactive in fighting COVID-19.
Report from Mark Fetalco/NGS-rir
