Expert reiterates importance of 'taking actions' during COVID-19 pandemic

A public health expert reiterated the importance of “taking huge action” to eventually end the viral transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.

Health reform advocate and former National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 special adviser Dr. Anthony “Tony” Leachon, in a Facebook post, said that “learning to live with the virus” does not equate to “giving up.”

“Learning to live with the virus does not mean giving up – it means taking huge action. We must vaccinate and do boosters then continue to monitor SARS-CoV-2, step up our response if necessary, mask up when the virus is spreading widely, and put public health systems in place to prevent another deadly pandemic,” said Leachon on Saturday, Feb. 5.

Leachon likewise said that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) suggested “formula” in stabilizing the Delta-driven and Omicron-driven surge of COVID-19 focused on vaccination, boosters, increased mask use, ventilation of closed spaces, and the use of new treatment protocols.

Meanwhile, in addition to WHO’s formula, he said that it is important to conduct more testings, inform the public, fight against vaccine hesitancy, and involve pharmacies in vaccination drives.

“Hanggang ngayon ang positivity rate ay mataas dahil hindi tayo nag invest sa testings. Pangalawa, hindi natin na-empower ang bawat Pilipino, isa pa ay ang taas ng ating vaccine hesitancy. Lately na lang din natin na-involve ang mga pharmacies and drugstores. Andoon naman ‘yung plano, ang problema ay mabagal. (Until now the positivity rate is high because we have not invested in testings. Second is we have not empowered every Filipino, another one is the fact that our vaccine hesitancy remains high. We have also involved pharmacies and drugstores at a later time. The plan is there, but the execution is slow),” he added.