Thread by @rapplerdotcom

Rappler Talk: What Omicron BA.5 means for PH’s pandemic response twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

COVID-19 cases in the Philippines are on the rise again.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire attributed the current increase in cases to the entry of Omicron subvariants, increased patterns of mobility, and the waning immunity due to the slow uptake of boosters.

The country has detected cases of BA.2.12, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. All of these Omicron offshoots are causing alarm due to a spike in cases worldwide. But of these subvariants, BA.5 is the most dominant subvariant in several regions.

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So far, the country has recorded a total of 293 BA.5 cases. Coronavirus cases worldwide have now been rising for four weeks in a row, data from the World Health Organization showed.

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What do we know about BA.5? And what does it mean for the Philippines’ pandemic response?

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.@bnzmagsambol speaks to infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante about the BA.5 subvariant.

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@bnzmagsambol Dr. Rontgene Solante: BA.5 is the sublineage of Omicron... this variant of concern has mutations that are so unique, it makes it more transmissible compared to others...we are expecting higher cases.

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@bnzmagsambol Solante: Vaccination is an important way of protecting us, but since BA.5 can evade the neutralizing antibodies of the current vaccines, there's a higher risk of breakthrough infections. What patients are manifesting now are milder symptoms.

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@bnzmagsambol Solante says public should still be worried about BA.5: It will still cause increase in cases, although it only causes mild infection, we should be worried about the vulnerable population.

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@bnzmagsambol Solante: Yes we have variants of concern that can infect us, but because of vaccination and boosters, we decrease the impact of these variants to cause more severe infections. This is why our hospitalization rate is still manageable.

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@bnzmagsambol Solante encourages the public to get their vaccines and booster shots against BA.5: We still have to wear face masks and wash our hands, we need to protect our healthcare utilization rate.

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@bnzmagsambol On incoming face-to-face classes:

Solante: We need to vaccinate children who are eligible, we continue to adhere to health protocols inside the schools, and continue to do surveillance on those who have symptoms.

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@bnzmagsambol Solante: Boosters are important so we can build walls of immunity, it can prevent severe infections. To the vulnerable population, get your boosters now, vaccines are safe, and this is how we protect our community.

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