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Presence in PH of new COVID-19 variant from UK known by mid-January
Presence in PH of new COVID-19 variant from UK known by mid-January
By Noreen Jazul
The Philippine Genome Center (PGC) said it could confirm whether the new coronavirus variant circulating in the United Kingdom has already entered the Philippines by middle of January 2021.
In an interview with DZMM, PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Saloma said the genome sequencing for the samples from the airport and positive patients from November and December will be done in “one go.”
“Probably in the middle of January or after the first week of January malalaman na po natin kung meron ba tayo o wala (We’ll know whether the UK COVID variant has entered the country probably by middle of January or after the first week of January,” Saloma told DZMM in an interview Wednesday.
Saloma said the sample of the COVID-positive traveler from the UK who recently arrived in the country will also be included in the samples that the PGC will be sequencing.
“We are trying to make it as fast as possible,” the health expert said.
Saloma advised the public to continue observing health protocols such as wearing of face masks, face shields, and frequent handwashing amid the threat of the new coronavirus strain.
The travel ban and tighter border control can meanwhile help in containing the new virus strain in case it enters the country, Saloma said.
“Etong virus sa palagay ko talagang papasok po ito sa ating bansa, kailangan lang na pag igihan ang ating border controls para di tayo ma overhwlem at kung pumasok man po andoon na sila sa quarantine center habang naka quarantine sila, di sila makaka pag spread sa ating communtiies (I think this virus will enter the country. What we can do is tighten our border control so that we won’t be overwhelmed when the virus strain enters. If a person carrying the new virus strain has entered at least he or she will be in the quarantine center and can no longer spread the virus in the communities),” she said.
Meanwhile, when asked if the new COVID variant will have an effect on the development of vaccines, Saloma said: “So far wala pa naman pong evidence (There’s no evidence yet).”
“Itong Moderna and Pfizer nagsabi na sila na di daw apektado ang kanilang vaccine, pero ‘yan ay dapat pag aralan pa (Pfizer and Moderna said their vaccine will still be effective against the new strain)” she said.