Manila ramps up preparations vs. Omicron

The local government of Manila has intensified its preparations for the possible increase in the number of COVID-19 cases with the Omicron variant in the country.

“We have to prepare since Omicron could be worse than Delta. We should have sufficient hospital beds and medicines. Kailangang lalong pabilisin ang (We should expedite the) vaccination, including opening booster shots for everyone qualified after their second dose,” Mayor Isko Moreno said in a press release.

Moreno met with Manila Health Department director Dr. Arnold Pangan as well as with the directors of the six city hospitals and COVID-19 field hospital last Saturday to map out the necessary strategies to fight the said variant that is believed to be more infectious.

The Philippines has so far recorded three cases of the Omicron coronavirus  variant.

According to the Department of Health, the latest case is a 36-year-old returning overseas Filipino who arrived from Qatar on November 28 via Qatar Airways Flight number QR 924.

Since the pandemic started in March 2020, the city government prepared for the health crisis with its construction of a field hospital and the upgrade of all district hospitals with modern equipment.

Manila also has a ready supply of pills used against COVID-19, the remdesivir and the tocilizumab. Last month, it also received its first order of 40,000 capsules of the new drug Molnupiravir, which is believed to have reduced the risk of hospitalization among COVID-19 patients.

Moreno said the anti-COVID-19 medicines as well as the medical services of city hospitals are available for free to all patients infected by the virus provided that there is enough supply.

"Huwag kayong mahihiya sa Lungsod ng Maynila kasi niyayakap namin ang bawat tao sa loob at labas Lungsod ng Maynila. Hangga’t kaya ng supply namin, we can give anti-COVID medicines such as remdesivir, tocilizumab, and Molnupiravir to patients needing those life-saving drugs," Moreno said.

(You don't have to be shy with the city government of Manila because we extend help even to those outside the city as long as our supplies can go.)

"We did it before, we will do it again pag lumala ulit ang COVID situation natin,” he said.—AOL, GMA News