News Roundup 13 January 2022
Jan 13, 2022 • 5 min Read
COVID-19 cases in Philippines hit another record high at 34,021 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Thursday registered 34,021 additional cases—a new record-high—as the country battles a fresh surge in infections driven by the hyper-contagious Omicron variant. Thursday’s tally beat the previous record of 33,169 infections logged on Monday. The additional infections brought the nation’s caseload to 3,092,409. According to the Department of Health, 98% of the newly reported cases occurred from December 31 to January 13. Half of the infections were from Metro Manila. Twenty-one percent of the cases were from Calabarzon, while 11% were from Central Luzon. The positivity rate was 47.9% out of 78,866 tests. This was way above the 5-percent threshold of the World Health Organization for opening economies. Seven testing laboratories did not submit their data to the DOH. The death toll hit 52,736 after 82 more patients died, while recoveries increased by 4,694 to 2,802,286. There are 34,021 active cases, which accounted for 7.7% of the total confirmed infections. Nearly 95% of the active cases have mild symptoms.
‘Shotgun approach’: NGOs hit ‘no vax, no ride’ policy on public transportation | PHILSTAR.COM – Banning the unvaccinated from using public transportation is a “shotgun approach” that will only inconvenience commuters instead of addressing the coronavirus surge in Metro Manila, transport advocacy groups said Thursday. This comes a day after the DOTr announced the “no vaccine, no ride” policy in the capital region’s modes of public transportation “to prevent a repeat of the public transport shut down [and] safeguard those that are most at risk.” It said those affected can “use other modes” instead. In a statement sent to media, the Move as One Coalition said that the move “unduly burdens commuters and transport workers and fails to address more basic issues” — such as the lack of ayuda, testing, and ventilation in public transport and public spaces — that also cause the spread of the pathogen. The transport advocacy group urged the national government’s coronavirus task force to instead allow more public transport units to ply their routes while ensuring these units have proper ventilation to prevent COVID-19 transmission — which a government adviser has said is largely airborne. “The policy will further burden weary commuters who already struggle to ride limited public transport and have no other way to travel…Excluding them from public transport would prevent them from going to work, earning a living, and feeding their families,” the coalition’s statement reads. “Because the government has failed to budget enough ayuda under the 2022 budget, many families will be left suffering and hungry because of this policy.” Under the Order, the department said that violations of the policy are considered violations of applicable general safety and health provisions under any concession or service agreements, authority or permits to operate of public transportation, and other similar instruments. According to Move as One co-convenor and transport economist Robert Siy, the policy “sets up drivers and operators for more harassment by enforcers, especially where the supply is far short of demand” while authorities “cannot expect drivers to be checking vaccination cards of all passengers especially during rush hour.”
Sotto: ‘No vax, no ride’ policy discriminating; Palace must be more creative | INQUIRER.NET – Senate President Vicente Sotto III has rejected the Palace’s “No Vaccine, No Ride” policy and urged the government to be more creative in convincing more individuals to avail of its free vaccination program. Sotto described Malacanang’s policy as “discriminating.” He also said it would only stir resentment among the unvaccinated, all the more discouraging them from getting the vaccine against COVID-19. “There should be no discrimination among the riding public. Instead of barring them from riding public transports, DOTr (Department of Transportation) should come up with brighter ideas on how to protect the unvaxxed from the deadly virus,” said the senator who is running for vice president in the elections this May. “For example, in trains or in PUBs, designated coaches or buses should be designated for riders who have not been jabbed,” he added. Sotto further said “to destabilize the means of transportation of our people should not be the only option. Think. Explore.” Sotto was reacting to the announcement of the DOTr that it will implement a “No Vaccination, No Ride” policy in all public transports in Metro Manila, which is now under COVID-19 Alert Level 3 amid a spike in new infections.
Reduced isolation period amid spike of infections is a ‘counterintuitive move’ — expert | Manila Bulletin – In a Facebook post, public health expert and former National Task Force (NTF) against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) special adviser Dr. Anthony “Tony” Leachon said the Department of Health’s (DOH) decision to shorten the isolation period of fully vaccinated individuals and health workers who tested positive for COVID-19 is a “counterintuitive” move. “There are are unknown variables about Omicron, and there is still a lot of Delta cases around. Delta has very high viral loads and it may take more than five days to become non-infectious,” said Leachon. He likewise underscored that the reduced isolation period is not advisable for the country amid the increasing number of infections because the health workers are now “overworked and overburdened.” DOH previously announced that the isolation of fully vaccinated individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 – may they be symptomatic, asymptomatic, or exhibiting mild symptoms, had been reduced to seven days from the onset of symptoms. Meanwhile, the DOH said that hospitals can shorten the isolation of fully vaccinated healthcare workers with boosters to five days upon careful assessment of benefits and risks.
