The Department of Health (DOH) reiterated that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines protect people against the severe form of the viral illness.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that in Metro Manila, the number of severe and critical cases are minimal.

“Sa National Capital Region, mataas po ang vaccination rate (In the National Capital Region, the vaccination rate is high) and we are seeing that severe and critical cases are kept to a minimum,” she said.

“Ibig sabihin yung ating pagbabakuna ay nakapagbigay proteksyon sa marami sa atin dito sa NCR on preventing hospitalization, severe infection, and even deaths (It means that our vaccination has given protection to many of our people here in NCR in terms of preventing hospitalization, severe infection, and even deaths),” she added.

“The vaccines have protected us, it is showing that it can protect us,” she furthered.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvana said that the relatively minimal number of severe and critical cases was not because of the Omicron variant—which, based on studies, appears to cause less severe infection than the Delta variant. Instead, this can be attributed to the effects of the vaccination.

“I think we are giving Omicron too much credit, when in fact, it’s the vaccination that should be the star here,” he said.

“Whatever variant it is, we will still see increase in critical and severe cases if our vaccination rate is low. It’s really the vaccines that are saving lives,” he said.

“While it is fortunate that Omicron appears to be mild which drives our current wave, the more important protective factor here is the high vaccination and that should really be our message,” he furthered.

‘Incidental cases’

The DOH said that it is currently observing two types of COVID-19 patients being admitted in hospitals in the National Capital Region.

“In NCR, because of high vaccination rates, we are seeing two types of COVID-19 patients: patients admitted for COVID-19, or patients admitted for other conditions but tested positive on admission— incidental finding,” said Vergeire.

Some of these incidental cases include acute appendicitis, acute coronary syndrome, CVD infarct, intracranial hemorrhage, and trauma from vehicular accident, said Vergeire.

“Data from PGH (Philippine General Hospital) during Delta surge and holiday surge shows that the pattern has shifted–a bigger proportion of patients now are incidental COVID-19,” she said.

“Ibig sabihin nito, ang mga pasyente ay magpapa admit sa ibang dahilan ngunit upon taking the RT-PCR test in the hospital, makikita ng ating mga healthcare worker na sila po ay positibo sa COVID-19 (This means that patients will be admitted for other reasons but upon taking the RT-PCR test in the hospital, our healthcare workers will see that they are also positive for COVID-19),” she said.

Vergeire said that “DOH NCR hospitals show the same pattern— more COVID-19 patients being admitted are incidental COVID-19.”