MANILA, Philippines – Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano on Thursday said she will not object should the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) decide to place the entire city under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.

In an online media briefing, Rubiano said the city government is doing its best to contain the surge in COVID-19 cases.

She added that they have already looked into the idea of placing the city under ECQ upon learning of the detection of the more contagious COVID-19 variant, initially reported in South Africa in Pasay.

Rubiano, however, noted that placing Pasay City under ECQ will have an impact on the entire National Capital Region since the city is considered as a travel hub.

“Ang impact kasi ay nasa entire NCR dahil nakita niyo po at siyempre sa country na rin dahil nandidito po sa amin ang airport, MRT, LRT,” she said.

“Travel hub po kami at yung domestic air travel will be cancelled while international travel will be restricted,” she added.

Meanwhile, Rubiano confirmed that four residents of Pasay have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant but all of them have already recovered.

The mayor also said that the patients were under quarantine when results of their tests came out.

“Yes po, recovered na pero inuulit po namin ang kanilang swab nang makasigurado po tayo. Na-isolate po namin agad sila pati po na-contact trace,” she said. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Janice Ingente)

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health (DOH) has extended the Measles, Rubella, and Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-OPV SIA) until March 7.

The health department said this is in order to reach the target population of 95%.

As of March 1, 2021, the health department reported that of the national target, 83.7% or 4,269,423 have been vaccinated against Measles and Rubella; while 3,939,677 or 82.4% have been vaccinated against Polio.

The extension of the immunization program aims to vaccinate over 800,000 more children in the target regions in the country.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III encourages parents and legal guardians to have their 0-59 month old children vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases under the MR-OPV SIA.

“To our parents and guardians, let us retain our confidence in vaccines and put our trust in science. These vaccines are proven safe and effective. Let us protect our children and not deny them the opportunity to grow into healthy individuals, free from vaccine-preventable illnesses,” he said. -AAC

MANILA, Philippines – Paiimbestigahan ng Department of Health (DOH) ang ilang pulitiko at non-frontliners na umano’y nagpaturok ng Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines sa ilalim ng vaccination roll out ng pamahalaan kahit wala naman sila sa priority list.

Ayon kay Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, prayoridad ng vaccination program ng pamahalaan na mabigyan ng bakuna ang healthcare workers alinsunod sa guidelines na inilabas ng Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-MEID).

“Hindi ko pa kasi nakikita yung listahan na yan but we will have it investigated kung papaanong nangyari because malinaw naman yung ating prioritization formula na nakalagay po doon mga healthcare workers lang,” ang wika ni Duque.

Nilinaw naman ng pinuno ng DOH na hindi kasali sa polisiya sina vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon at Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos.

Aniya, pinakiusapan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang tatlo na magpabakuna sa layuning pataasin ang kumpiyansa ng publiko sa COVID-19 vaccine.

“’Yang mga ‘yan, pinakiusapan mismo ni Pangulo para lang ang kaniyang pakay, tumaas ang vaccine confidence. So, hindi naman yan parang napakadami, parang tatlong doses lang yan over 600,000,” ng pahayag ni Duque.

Samantala, nagpahayag naman ng suporta ang ilang Metro Manila mayors sa panawagan ng DOH na unahin ang frontline workers sa vaccine rollout at saka na lamang sila magpabakuna kapag natapos na ang vaccination sa mga nasa priority list.

Ayon sa DOH, ang sinomang lumabag sa polisiya ay dapat isangguni sa IATF upang mapatawan ng kaukulang aksyon. – RRD (mula sa ulat ni Correspondent Asher Cadapan Jr.)