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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Vaccinations against COVID-19 help reduce hospitalizations, serious illness in Metro Manila, says OCTA expert

Vaccinations against COVID-19 help reduce hospitalizations, serious illness in Metro Manila, says OCTA expert

Published Aug 28, 2021 12:14 pm

(ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)

The protection brought by vaccines is starting to be seen in the reduced hospitalization and serious illness among patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Metro Manila, based on the initial findings of independent research group OCTA.

"My computation of vaccination protection rates for the hospitals of the NCR ...it’s clear that the vaccinations are protecting our people," molecular biologist and OCTA Research fellow Fr. Nicanor Austriaco said in a One News interview Friday, Aug. 27.

"If you look at hospitalized COVID patients, the vaccinations have decreased the risk by 2.125-fold. For severe and critical COVID-19 patients, the vaccines in the NCR have decreased the risk 3.75-fold. What this means is that you’re seeing a significant protection," he pointed out.

Austriaco said OCTA will still have to look at the data from other countries that have "varying levels of vaccination" such as Singapore, Iceland, and the United States, and compare it with the available data in the Philippines.

"Nonetheless, what you’re beginning to see is that there is an effect of the vaccinations," he added.

As of Aug. 23, over 4.2 million individuals are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Metro Manila. This comprises 43.5 percent of the population in the region.

"Fifty percent of the adult population should be vaccinated about two weeks from now in the NCR. As we increase the vaccination rate, we hope we will see decoupling more significantly," Austriaco said.

"If we are going to talk about moving away from hard lockdowns, the vaccinations are allowing us to even consider that," he added.

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Fr. Nicanor Austriaco covid-19 OCTA Research
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