An infectious disease expert allayed public doubt about the effectiveness of today’s vaccines against the more infectious Delta variant.
“May mga datos naman tayong nakikita galing sa experience ng iba’t ibang bansa na nakakatulong pa rin ang kahit sa aling bakuna laban sa Delta,” according to Dr. Ana Ong-Lim, a member of the DOH Technical Advisory Group and a pediatric infectious disease expert.
In an interview with TeleRadyo on Wednesday, Lim said that the vaccines will decrease the possibility for a patient with COVID-19 to die or have a severe and critical disease.
“Hindi naman ipinapangako ng bakuna na hindi tayo mahahawahan o makapanghawa so therefore nandoon pa rin dapat ang pag-iingat,” she said.
She again reminded that not everyone would have the same experience after vaccination because it depends on a person’s body.
Vaccines effective vs. Delta variant: expert
“Hindi lahat ng nangyayari pagkatapos mabakunahan ay kasalanan ng bakuna. Pwede namang nagkataon nahawahan ka doon sa pagko-commute mo papunta sa vaccination center, sa paghihintay, o kahit nung nakauwi ka na. Pwedeng-pwede na iba talaga ang pinagmulan ng nararamdaman mo. Dahil nga maulan ngayon baka dengue pa yan lalo na kung nilalagnat at sakit ng katawan ang nararamdaman. Maraming iba’t ibang pwedeng dahilan doon sa nararamdaman natin after vaccination kaya kailangan mag report at magpatingin,” she said.
But she said, of the nearly 12 million doses of the vaccine distributed in the Philippines, only about 47,000 have reported adverse reactions.
“Out of that 47,000, higit sa 46,000 plus ay yung mild. So wala pang 2,000 yung merong tinatawag na severe adverse events. And of course, hindi naman natin sinasabing lahat ng severe adverse events ay dala ang bakuna. Pwedeng nagkataon lang,” she added.
There are currently 8 active cases of Delta variant, based on the latest Department of Health (DOH) record. One of them is from Manila, 4 in Cagayan de Oro, 1 in Misamis Oriental, while 2 are returning overseas Filipinos.
According to Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno, their Delta variant cases are related.
He also said that Cagayan de Oro has enough facilities in case it experiences a surge of cases.
In Misamis Oriental, Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano confirmed that 2 close contacts of the only active Delta variant case there were positive for COVID-19.
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