VULNERABLE POPULATION. Senior citizens sit in line during the social pension distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development at Barangay Bahay Toro in Quezon City on Dec. 13, 2022. Senior citizens, immunocompromised and people with comorbidities are advised to continue protecting themselves against the coronavirus disease 2019 despite a reported decrease in cases nationwide. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
MANILA – Senior citizens, the immunocompromised and people with comorbidities are advised to continue protecting themselves against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) despite a reported decrease in cases nationwide.
Philippine College of Physicians president and infectious disease expert Rontgene Solante said Wednesday the decrease in the number of Covid-19 infections shows that current variants may not be as highly transmissible as previous variants.
He said the Filipino population may have already acquired a high wall of immunity against Covid-19.
“Pero ang problema, wala na tayong mga (But the problem is we no longer have) booster vaccination,” he said during a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.
On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 128 daily average of new cases for the period of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5.
It is 18 percent lower compared to the 155 cases logged from Oct. 23 to 29.
For the week of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, the DOH recorded no new Covid-19 deaths.
“Even with the low number of cases, ang paalala pa rin natin sa publiko, especially sa mga vulnerable population, hindi pa rin iyan ligtas tayo kasi baka matsambahan tayo (We remind the public especially the vulnerable population that you’re not safe from having the infection),” Solante said.
“Alam naman natin kapag Covid at vulnerable population ka, mataas taas ang risk na pwede mag-severe ang Covid ng mga population na ito (We know that if you’re part of the vulnerable population and you have Covid, your condition may become severe).”
As of Nov. 6, the DOH said the top five regions contributing to the new cases tally for the week are the National Capital Region, Region 4-A (Calabarzon), Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Soccsksargen.
The five areas with the most number of new cases include Quezon City, Rizal, Manila City, Cavite and Bulacan. (PNA)
