Independent research group OCTA urged the government to ramp up its vaccination rollout to prevent a possible ripple effect of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) surge in Metro Manila to other regions.
"Minsan kasi kapag nagkakaroon ng surge sa NCR nagkakaroon ng ripple effect o parang umaabot sa mga probinsya. Hindi agad agad umaabot, mga one to two months," OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said in an interview with GMA on Sunday, May 30.
(Sometimes when there is a surge in NCR, there is a ripple effect where it seems the effect of the surge reaches the provinces. It takes about one to two months to reach the provinces).
The recent COVID-19 surge in Metro Manila was felt in March 2021.
"May cycle nga yan. Parang nagkakaroon ng ripple effect napupunta sa probinsya pero eventually baka bumalik na naman sa NCR kaya importante talaga matutukan natin yung ating vaccination. Mapuputol yung cycle na yan kung talagang mapadami natin yung vaccination," he added.
(There is a cycle. It seems that there is a ripple effect to the provinces but eventually it may return to NCR so we must focus on our vaccinations. That cycle will be cut off if we increase our vaccinations).
Based on OCTA's latest report, Metro Manila's reproduction number has slightly increased from 0.5 to 0.68 over the past week.
"Nakikita rin nating yung pagbagal ng pagbaba. Hindi naman nagbago this week kumpara sa mga nakaraang linggo in terms of quarantine restrictions," David pointed out.
(We also see the slowing down of the decline in the number of cases. This week, quarantine restrictions have not changed as compared to previous weeks).