One expert warned that more variants of COVID-19 could be added if transmission or infection of the disease continued.
Dra. Nina Gloriani, the chairperson of the Vaccine Expert Panel of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), explained that if the number of vaccinated people is low and people are not careful, the number of people affected by COVID-19 will continue to increase.
This will increase the chances of the virus breeding and mutating, possibly giving rise to new variants.
“Hindi mapipigil ang paggawa ng mutation ng variants na yan habang ang protection ng mga tao ay mababa… We’re talking about global. Kasi wala naman sa atin ang omicron noon, saan nanggaling iyan?” said Gloriani.
Gloriani also stressed that it is better to have herd immunity through vaccination and not because of the spread of the omicron variant.
This is after a molecular biologist recently said that the omicron variant could serve as a “natural vaccine” because those who recover from this variant will develop antibodies.
“Hindi natin gusto na magkasakit ng mga tao para lang makakuha ng tinatawag natin na herd immunity, hindi natin alam ang magiging epekto sa kanila nitong virus,” the expert insisted.
Pharmacies still short of paracetamol, other drugs
It is still difficult for Filipinos to buy paracetamol and medicines for cough, cold, and fever amid the high transmission of COVID-19 in the country.
There are no longer long queues at many pharmacies in Manila, but customers still arrive asking if there is a stock of paracetamol and other drugs from time to time.
Some pharmacies have already received a new supply, but it is quickly depleted due to the number of buyers.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Drugstores Association of the Philippines (DSAP) said that delivery of various brands of paracetamol would return to normal and resume.
But due to high demand, the stock supplied to pharmacies is limited.
It will also limit the number of drugs that customers can buy.
DSAP’s advice is to ask for an alternative when you run out of an established drug brand. Generic medicines are just as effective as branded medicines.
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