Lorenzana: No timetable yet for lifting of COVID-19 restrictions

The government has no timeline yet for the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions pending the vaccination of at least 50% of the population, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.

"Mahirap maglagay ng timeline kasi hindi pa ganoon karami ang ating nababakunahan at hindi pa natin naa-acquire ang herd immunity," Lorenza said in a forum ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address.

(It is hard to put timeline on lifting restrictions since we haven't vaccinated that many yet and pending herd immunity.)

"We also want the restrictions lifted since these have been affecting the jobs of our people, but we have to trust the doctors and the experts of the best way to addres the virus."

Lorenzana said restrictions will be in place maybe until half of the population is vaccinated.

"Until we vaccinate 50% of our population, we will have restrictions, although not at the strictest level but at a level that will prevent the spread of the virus," Lorenzana added.

The Philippines has vaccinated 12 million people so far, but less than half of that number have received the needed two doses. 

Dr. Rontgene Solante of Vaccine Experts Panel earlier said the government temporarily shifted to population protection instead of herd immunity against COVID-19 due to the lack of vaccine supply.

Solante said population protection is an effective way of maximizing the available doses even as herd immunity or vaccinating 70 to 80 percent of the population remains the ideal target.

The Philippines has been under varying COVID-19 restrictions limiting mobility and banning mass gathering since March 2020 or more than a year already.

A number of COVID-19 vaccine shipment of Sputnik, Moderna and Sinovac due to arrive this week have also been delayed over logistical issues.

But despite these snags, Dr. Nicanor Austriaco of OCTA Research said the National Capital Region may become resilient to the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus in a few months with the ongoing vaccination rollout.

“As of yesterday, the NCR has received 29% of single doses and each LGU has vaccinated between 20% to 70% of their population, one dose, which suggests that a month and a half from now that will be fully vaccinated people,” he said.

“So, yes, the data suggests that in a few months that the NCR particularly may be Delta resilient. If this is the case, this is good news for the country,” Austriaco added.

The country aims to vaccinate 50 million to 70 million people this year by administering 500,000 doses daily.

As of July 4, the average number of doses administered daily stood at 254,141.--KBK, GMA News