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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider OCTA fellow sees 'better Christmas' in 2022

OCTA fellow sees 'better Christmas' in 2022

Published Sep 8, 2022 01:15 pm

There might be a better Christmas waiting for Filipinos in 2022.

Highlighting the improvements in the country’s vaccination status and the current condition of the Philippine healthcare system, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Butch Ong, on Thursday, Sept. 8, said there may be a better Christmas waiting for Filipinos this year.

'Simbang Gabi' with social distancing (Manila Bulletin File Photo)

“Sa ngayon, because our vaccination is higher compared to last year, and our current variant causes mostly asymptomatic and mild disease, at ang ating mamamayan ay more attuned na sa preventive measures and the culture of safety -- maaaring mas maganda ang ating kapaskuhan ngayong taon (Right now, because our vaccination is higher compared to last year, while our current variant causes mostly asymptomatic and mild disease, and because our people are more attuned to preventive measures and the culture of safety, our Christmas may be better this year),” said Ong in a “Laging Handa” public briefing.

Despite this, he urged the public not to be complacent and continue adhering to health protocols such as wearing face masks and observing physical distancing.

Uptick in Metro Manila's Covid-19 positivity rate

OCTA’s latest data showed that Metro Manila’s seven-day positivity rate has climbed from 12.1 percent on Sept. 2 to 12.7 percent on Sept. 6. This uptick may be attributed to the increased mobility in the region, said Ong.

“Ito ay maaaring . Mas marami nang lumabas, pumapasok sa opisina, at paaralan. kahit sa paaralan ay i-maintain pa rin natin ang ating precautionary o safety measures against Covid-19 para hindi lalong umakyat ang ating numbers (This could be due to increased mobility in the region. More people are going out, going to the office, and school. This is why even at school, the public should maintain precautionary and safety measures against Covid-19 so that our numbers will not increase),” he added.

Independent OCTA Research group said that they will continue to monitor if there will be changes in the current trend, but they likewise noted that for the last several weeks, the region’s positivity rate was continuously decreasing.

Meanwhile, the country’s Covid-19 positivity rate as of Wednesday, Sept. 7, stood at 11.6 percent which is still relatively higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended five-percent threshold.

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