COVID-19 vaccinations should be intensified given BQ.1 detection –expert

COVID-19 vaccinations should be intensified after the BQ.1 sub-variant was detected in the Philippines, Dr. Rontege Solante, an infectious disease expert, said Saturday on "24 Oras Weekend."

"This sub-variant is a sub-variant ng BA.5. Ang BA.5 ito 'yung dominant variant for the past several months, nanganganak ulit siya ng another variant na mas nakakahawa,” Solante said.

“So which means mataas talaga ang risk na maski bakunado ka and more sa walang bakuna, na makapitan ng infection," he added.

Furthermore, he warned that immunocompromised individuals should be more careful.

Solante also said that one of the reasons many COVID-19 vaccines have been wasted is that many people still do not want to get vaccinated until now.

"Kailangan pa rin natin i-encourage kasi kung kulang tayo sa booster, mataas ang risk na itong mga mutation talagang magbabago na naman. Tataas na naman ang mga kaso at mao-ospital ang mga vulnerable population,” he stressed.

With the entry of the BQ.1 subvariant in the country, the public should expect an increase in cases again.

Solante said that bivalent vaccines would be helpful for protecting the population.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) said they are now preparing for the possible spread of the subvariant. — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News