OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David on Monday, Aug. 8, said the high number of Covid-19 infections may last until the “ber” months because of the “prolonged” Covid-19 wave in the country.
“Yung wave natin (Our wave) is already longer than what we expected. Initially, we expected a two-month wave due to Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 dahil two months lang tumagal sa South Africa (because it only lasted for two months in South Africa),” David said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“Nagsimula around June, July to August. Naka-two months na tayo so dapat nasa peak na tayo (It started in the Philippines around June, July to August. We’ve been at it for two months now, so we should be already at the peak,” he pointed out.
David noted that the spread of the Omicron subvariant BA2.75 and waning immunity may have caused the prolonged wave of Covid-19.
“Yung wave natin, it’s possible na prolonged na siya because of, maybe, the effects of Omicron BA2.75. Isa lang ito sa possibility. Ang isa pang possibility ay yung waning immunity. Kasi yung mga kababayan natin, most of them had their vaccines last year pa and konti lang ang nagpabooster (It’s possible that the wave has been prolonged because of, maybe, the effects of Omicron BA2.75. This is just one of the possibilities. Another possibility is waning immunity. Because our countrymen, most of them, had their vaccines last year and only a few had boosters),” he added.
“Right now, it’s looking like it will last up to four to five months, well into the ‘ber’ months,” David said.
The Philippines reported 4,621 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, Aug. 7.
David said that this is the highest Covid-19 single-day tally since the first week of February 2022.