The local government of Manila has started preparing for the possible outbreak of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the capital city.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso met with Manila Health Department director Doctor Arnold Pangan and the directors of the six Manila district hospitals on Saturday, Dec. 18, to plan out a response to a possible Omicron surge.
Three cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant have been detected in the country as of Wednesday, Dec. 22.
“We have to prepare since Omicron could be worse than Delta. We should have sufficient hospital beds and medicines. Kailangang lalong pabilisin ang vaccination (We need to expedite vaccination for all), including opening booster shots for everyone qualified after their second dose,” said Domagoso.

Prior to the detection of Omicron cases in the country, the city of Manila has already taken numerous steps to stop the spread COVID-19.
As a result of Manila’s aggressive inoculation campaign, the city has achieved herd immunity by fully vaccinating 1,448,482 Manilenyos which represent 107.18 percent of the Department of Health’s 70 percent target of 1,351,487 people.
A total of 92,372 of the city's minors have also been fully vaccinated.
The Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital that was completed in June, 2021 was built to serve as a temporary health facility with a patient capacity of 344 for COVID-19 patients exhibiting mild to moderate symptoms.
The city also created the Infectious Disease Control Center which is housed within the Santa Ana Hospital.
Two new hospitals are being built in the city: the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila in Malate and the President Corazon C. Aquino General Hospital in Port Area.
The city of Manila has also prioritized the purchase of numerous anti-COVID-19 drugs such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, and about 40,000 capsules of Molnupiravir which are said to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by COVID-19 by 50 percent.