The Department of Health (DOH) said based on a new projection COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) may reduced to just more than a thousand by mid- November.

"We have projections until November 15 and it shows that in the National Capital Region we will just have about 1,126 cases by November. If we continue to improve our vaccination coverage and we maintain the four days detection to isolation," Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergiere said in the''Laging Handa'' public briefing on Saturday.

"Now if we further improve the four days detection and isolation and the vaccination coverage, there is a possibility that the COVID-19 cases will go lower than this," he added.

OCTA Research said cases in the NCR are at 1,381 as of Friday. On October 14, OCTA said the seven-day average in the NCR from October 7 to 13 was 1, 847, down 30 percent from the September 30 to October 6.

Vergeire revealed that the government is discussing implementation of the third dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

"Our people need to understand the difference between the booster doses from the additional doses or third dose while the World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends the third doses or additional doses for our immunocompromised individuals, for senior citizens and even for health care workers," she said.

She added that WHO did not recommend any vaccine as booster shots.

'WHO did not specifically mention the name or brand of the vaccine. This came from their spokesperson... and they were the ones who mentioned about the specific type of vaccines,'' said Vergeire.

"Our plans (for a third dose) are now underway. It is now being discussed on how we are going to implement this," she added. Robina Asido/DMS