Testing czar: Significant vaccination coverage silver lining amid rising COVID-19 cases

Testing czar Vince Dizon said Monday that the silver lining amid the increasing COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant is wide vaccination coverage, thus keeping COVID-19 cases mild, if not asymptomatic.

"Hindi na po katulad ng dati na napakabilis mapuno ng ating mga ospital, sumasabog ang healthcare system," Dizon, the Deputy Chief Implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said during Laging Handa briefing.

(It is unlike before that our hospitals are getting overwhelmed, our healthcare system was overwhelmed with patients.)

Asked if this was the worst situation the country faced since the pandemic started, given the record-setting 28,000 new COVID-19 cases recorded in a single day last January 9, Dizon argued that the situation has not been the same due to COVID-19 vaccines being available now.

"We are better off now because of the vaccines. The most important thing now is that we should not lose focus. We should ramp up our vaccination efforts, especially in areas where even the first dose is not yet administered," he said.

"Likewise, we should also prioritize those who are already qualified to get a booster three months after their second dose and two months after one-dose," Dizon added.

As of January 7, there are 51.6 million Filipinos who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The government had aimed to fully vaccinate 54 million Filipinos by year-end 2021.

The government also hoped to fully vaccinate 77 million Filipinos against COVID-19 by the end of March and 90 million by the end of June.

The government had earlier reduced the quarantine period for fully vaccinated health workers infected with or exposed to COVID-19 to ensure that there will be enough personnel to take care of patients amid the rising COVID-19 cases. — DVM, GMA News