Ex-Department of Health (DOH) chief-turned-Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin thinks that all claims saying that the Covid-19 pandemic will soon end should be taken with "a grain of salt".
During the Ugnayan sa Batasan News Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 20, a reporter asked Garin “With the second generation Covid-19 vaccine, do you foresee an end to Covid-19 pandemic?”
“Naririnig yung iba na sinasabi na tapos na ang pandemya (We hear some people say that the pandemic is over). But on a personal note I would say let’s take it with a grain of salt. Maigi pa rin na preparado tayo at mas maigi na rin na hindi tayo magkokompyansa (It’s good to be prepared and its even better to not be overconfident). If you are more prepared it will be better for our country,” the doctor-lawmaker said.
She then brought up the second generation or “bivalent” Covid-19 vaccine as a potential means to end the pandemic.
“Now, the second generation Covid vaccines, ito yung vaccine ng Covid, na andyan yung original at dinagdag yung Omicron specific action (These are Covid vaccines of the original function with an added Omicron specific action). Parang (it’s like a) two-in-one siya...This scientific breakthrough will only be effective if people allow themselves to be vaccinated,” she explained.
“Totoong nakikita ng karamihan na malamang, baka pwede nang matapos ang pandemya lalo’t-lalo na nakita na ang bisa ng ating bagong bakuna, yung (Many people actually see that the pandemic might actually end especially now that they’ve seen the capabilities of the new vaccine, the) two-in-one,” she continued.
“If the second generation vaccine will not be used, then the pandemic will not end dahil mas maraming ang nahahawa, mas patuloy na magmumutate ang Covid virus (more will get infected, and the virus will continue to mutate),” Garin said.
Garin has been a proponent of the bivalent vaccine for as long as they have been around. She previously urged the national government to set aside a budget for the purchase of bivalent vaccines.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2022/07/14/govt-needs-to-prep-budget-for-2nd-gen-covid-19-vaccines-says-garin/