The Philippines should further boost its contact tracing and testing efforts amid the threat of the Delta coronavirus variant, said Dr. Ted Herbosa, special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

Herbosa said that contact tracing and testing are key measures to stop the transmission of the Delta variant in case it spreads in communities.

“Very important na palakasin natin yung testing and contact tracing natin para in case na makapasok iyan, ma control agad natin (It is very important that we strengthen our testing and contact tracing efforts so that in case this variant is detected (in communities), we can control it immediately),” he said.

The Philippines has detected 19 cases of the Delta variant, involving returning overseas Filipinos. No local case of this variant has been detected in the country so far, according to the Philippine Genome Center.

However, Herbosa said the country should not let its guard down as he cited the experience of Indonesia.

“Pero dapat handa din tayo na in case na makapasok ito kagaya ng nangyari sa Indonesia (We must also be ready in case it enters (our communities) like what happened in Indonesia),” he said.

“Napasok sila, hindi pa sila tapos sa kanilang pagbabakuna and isa sa nakita kong nangyari sa kanila ay binaba agad nila yung kanilang quarantine rules... so maraming nakapasok na Delta variant ( they haven't finished their vaccinations and one of the things I observed is that they immediately lowered their quarantine rules ... so, high rates of Delta variant cases were detected),” he added.

Other health protocols against COVID-19 should be strictly implemented, said Herbosa.

“We need to keep our border controls strict. Pero aside from that, kailangan tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang pagsuot ng face mask, face shield at huwag masyadong magpunta sa matataong lugar (But aside from that, you still need to wear a face mask and face shield and to avoid crowded places),” he said.