The variant first found in India is more contagious, according to the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the B.1.617 variant was also detected in the Philippines in 2 male overseas Filipino workers from Oman and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Department of Health.
“Sa mga una pong pananaliksik, nakita pong mas transmissible po siya. Subalit ang iba pa pong factors kung siya ba ay nakakaiwas sa bakuna o ating immune system system ay di pa po natin alam iyon,” said Dr. Eva Dela Paz, executive director of UP-NIH.
“Di po natin masabi kung mas mabangis. Madami po kasing factors na dapat tingnan bakit nagkasurge sa India.”
She added that the Philippine Genome Center has yet to determine what is the COVID-19 variant of the 12 crew members of the MV Athens Bridge that passed through India, Vietnam and Malaysia before landing at Sangley Point, Cavite.
“Ang ating minimum public health emasures ay pareho pa rin. Siguro kailangan lang natin mas maging conscious sa pagsunod ng public health measures,” said Dela Paz.
COVID variant found in India more contagious: expert
Meanwhile, the extension of ban on travelers from India would be discussed by the Department of Health (DOH) and experts from the government’s task force on COVID-19 after the B.1.617 variant has been detected.
According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, they would analyze how the variant first detected in India affect the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“That has to be discussed first… But for now, we continue on with the restrictions until we can recommend,” she said in an online forum.
The task force’s experts are confident that the improved revised testing and quarantine protocols for incoming travelers will be enough to block or detect new cases of COVID-19 variants.
“This is an evolving situation and we understand that restricting movement in general has major implications on people from financial to obviously even mental,” infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvana said.
Dr. Anna Ong-Lim said experts are “taking time to reflect” before making a proposal because of the many effects of an extended travel ban.
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