Palace not yet confident to ease restrictions to Alert Level 1

Malacañang said Friday that it is not yet confident in easing quarantine restrictions due to inconclusive findings on the nature of new coronavirus variant Omicron.

"What we are getting on Omicron are preliminary data, and so the confidence of IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) is not there yet. The data is not conclusive enough and does not give enough comfort to IATF to set parameters for Alert Level 1," acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said.

"We are still awaiting conclusive data coming from the WHO (World Health Organization) on Omicron's transmissibility, severity, and risk on breakthrough infections even among the vaccinated," he added.

The Philippines is under Alert Level 2 until December 15.

Under Alert Level 2—the second lowest in the new alert level system—certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated) and 70% capacity outdoors.

Nograles said the fight against the pandemic is largely anchored on getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The direction of Omicron variant is that it is less severe, and so the vaccines still remain highly effective against all variants. Vaccines work so we should get vaccinated," he added.

Nograles said the Duterte administration is eyeing to have 54 million fully vaccinated Filipinos by the end of the year, 77 million by March 2022, and 90 million by June 2022.

He said that there are 40.1 million Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as of December 9.—AOL, GMA News