OCTA: Vaccination, population immunity contribute to decreasing COVID-19 cases in PH

The ongoing downward trend of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines may be attributed to the increasing vaccination rate in the country, as well as the population protection acquired by many after the recent Omicron surge, an OCTA Research fellow said on Saturday, Feb. 12.

“Nakita na rin natin itong sitwasyon na ito noong October last year after ng Delta surge. Nakita natin na tuluy-tuloy ‘yung pagbaba ng kaso. Isang major factor d’yan ay yung vaccination natin... ang pangalawang dahilan ay we are also achieving a sufficient level of population immunity dahil medyo maraming nahawaan ng Omicron during the January surge (We also saw this situation in October last year after the Delta surge. We have seen a steady decline in cases. A major factor of that is our vaccination... the second reason is that we are also achieving a sufficient level of population immunity because many were infected with Omicron during the January surge),” said OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David in an interview over DZBB.

David explained that those who have been infected by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have likewise acquired antibodies that contribute to the country’s population immunity.

Meanwhile, the expert said that the “worst is now over” in the country, but he stressed that the public should continue to observe minimum public health standards and get vaccinated against the disease.

“Mababa na ‘yung mga numbers natin, meron tayong population immunity pero hindi ibig sabihin na lahat tayo ay immune. Meron pa ring mga susceptible at vulnerable, kaya kailangan na patuloy tayong sumunod sa minimum public health standards. Napakahalaga nito at ito yung isa sa malaking factor kung bakit napababa natin yung bilang ng kaso natin (Our numbers are low and we have population immunity but that does not mean that we are all immune. There are still those who are susceptible and vulnerable, so we need to continue to adhere to minimum public health standards. This is very important and this is one of the big factors why we have reduced the number of our cases),” David added.