Amid the emerging variants of COVID-19 which has affected efficacy of vaccines
Amid the emerging variants of COVID-19 which has affected efficacy of vaccines, health experts increased the target vaccination from 70 percent to 90 percent to achieve herd immunity in the country.
" Our experts pushed it up to 90 percent because of the effect (of variants) on the efficacy of the vaccines," DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the ''Laging Handa'' public briefing on Saturday.
"With these mutations of the virus, the variants of concern already affected our vaccines where it has lessened the efficacy against symptomatic infections. So it means that we see that even those who are vaccinated can still be infected," she added.
Vergeire reiterated that COVID-19 vaccines still protect the people from severe infection and death.
"We see that it is good against severe infection and death. It means all those who are vaccinated are still protected from severe and critical (infection) and can prevent deaths," she said. Robina Asido/DMS
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Bohol COVID-19 cases increasing as people getting tired following health protocols: governor
Cases of COVID-19 in Bohol are increasing as people are getting tired of following the health protocols
"The recovery rate is more than 90 percent although we also see that the number of moderate, mild and severe cases also increased, unlike before that most of the patients are asymptomatic," Bohol Governor Arthur Yap said during the ''Laging Handa'' public briefing on Saturday.
Yap said the local government is experiencing difficulties as the people are getting tired of following the health protocols.
"We reached the point that the people are experiencing fatigue in following the (health protocols). Sometimes the mayor also does not know what to do especially when there are a lack of funds," he said.
Yap said COVID-19 cases are increasing because of the Delta variant.
"We now have 1,947 active cases and we are closely monitoring the increase of the number of cases because a few weeks ago it already went down but we see that because of the Delta variant the number of cases continues to increase," he said.
"Our daily average attack rate now is seven so we are viewing this with extreme caution and then we are also looking at the critical care utilization rate because many of our spaces accepting COVID-19 positive patients it's going upward to 80 percent already. We are really looking at the situation very seriously at this time," he added.
Yap said they are trying to ''make people understand'; the seriousness of the situation.
"People are experiencing fatigue. They no longer follow, even the mayors are experiencing difficulties on the implementation. They no longer know what to do," he added.
Yap said the local government and other agencies are doing its best to address the rising COVID-19 cases.
"The police together with the local barangay officials are continuously conducting patrols and establishing roadblocks and checkpoints. So everybody is doing their best," he said.
Yap said they are requesting the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force to increase testing. Robina Asido/DMS
