journalism – Page 89 – Author Carlo Carrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: Parañaque City’s new executive order targets unvaccinated individuals as well as local businesses

January 6, 2022January 5, 2022carlocarrasco

Individuals in Parañaque City who remain unvaccinated for COVID-19 will have to brace themselves for a more restrictive form of new normal living within the city as a new executive order was approved to regulate them as well as local businesses, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez signed an executive order on Tuesday (Jan. 4) regulating the movement of unvaccinated individuals in the city while the National Capital Region (NCR) is under Alert Level 3.

Olivarez, in his order, stated that unvaccinated individuals must stay at home at all times and can only go out to buy essential goods.

The police and barangays were also ordered to reprimand or issue citation tickets to individuals found violating the order.

He warned individuals as well as business establishment owners against using fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and certificates.

The mayor also asked the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) to conduct monitoring on all business establishments in the city to make sure that only vaccinated individuals are allowed to work on site and must show proof of vaccination certificate from the Department of Health (DOH) and vaccination ID from the local government.

The above report ended stating that business establishments are also prohibited from catering or allowing the entry of unvaccinated individuals into their premises.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City who still is unvaccinated, do you find the new executive order discriminating or excessive with regulating you? If you are managing a business in the city, do you think the local authorities will be fair when it comes to monitoring the individuals (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) entering your business location? Is the City Government doing the right thing? Will this new executive order make life worse in the city? Do you think that the new executive order will present the spread of Omicron, Delta and Lambda variants in the city at all?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

COVID-19 Crisis: Metro Manila mayors approve resolution restricting unvaccinated people

January 4, 2022January 3, 2022carlocarrasco

The new year of 2022 is already challenging for the Philippines with the daily count of new COVID-19 infections averaging in the thousands the past few days. For the people who still remain unvaccinated, their movements within Metro Manila will be restricted as the mayors of the metropolis approved a new resolution and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos confirmed it, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

Metro Manila (mayors) have agreed to implement a lockdown on all the unvaccinated individuals in the metropolis as part of the measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) amid the rising number of cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) in the past days.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos said this was agreed in principle by all the 17 mayors of Metro Manila during the meeting help on Sunday and was embodied on the resolution approved by the Metro Manila Council.

The move is also aimed at protecting unvaccinated individuals, what with the report from the Department of Health that more or less 85 percent of severe cases of COVID it monitored in various hospitals are those who have not been inoculated against the deadly virus.

“This was what they agreed (during the meeting). Those unvaccinated, they shall remain at their residence at all times,” said Abalos in a press briefing on Monday morning, Jan. 3.

He said unvaccinated individuals would only be allowed to go out of their houses if they would buy essential goods like food, water or medicine or avail of essential services that are mostly relating to medical services, energy and work.

While unvaccinated individuals would not be deprived to do exercises, Abalos said their movement would be limited in areas near their homes like inside the subdivision, puroks or even within the barangay.

Abalos also emphasized that unvaccinated (individuals) will not be allowed to travel and even do leisure activities like going to the malls, tourist spots and other popular leisure areas and would be even allowed to dine both inside and outside any restaurants and other dining establishments.

“This is like implementing ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine which is the highest lockdown measures) but only for the unvaccinated. This is also for their own protection,” said Abalos.

How about unvaxxed workers?

Abalos explained that work-related activities are exempted from the restrictions that were approved by the Metro Manila mayors for the unvaccinated individuals.

The catch, however, is that unvaccinated workers have to undergo RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction which is the most accurate test for COVID-19) every two weeks and that they have to present them to their work places as a matter of policy that was ordered by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

Another problem for unvaccinated workers on this policy is that they are the ones who would shoulder the cost of the RT-PCR which costs ranges from P2,500 to P4,000 per test.

In the event that the RT-PCR result is not readily available as it takes time before the result is obtained, Abalos said unvaccinated workers must undergo antigen test, also at their expense.

Vax card as ‘passport’

During the briefing Abalos emphasized the importance of the vaccination card for those who want to move around Metro Manila and for those who want to enter the National Capital Region.

He said the vaccination cards served as the passports to all establishments–in compliance with the IATF order.

“So you need to carry vaccination cards at all times. And aside from vaccination card, the bearer should also have an identification to verify that he or she is indeed the person in the vaccination card,” said Abalos.

He, however, warned against availing fake vaccination cards, saying they would be punished by existing laws.

The same warning was given to establishment owners that would fail to implement the need to present vaccination cards for their clients and customers.

“We are expecting the malls and other establishments to adjust the protocols… So I appeal to the public to follow these rules as a way of cooperating with the government in the fight against COVID-19,” said Abalos.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about this latest development? If you are unvaccinated until now, does this latest news compel you to finally go out and join the line for the free vaccines? Do you think the Metro Manila mayors made the right decision with the reported resolution dealing with the unvaccinated? If you are indeed unvaccinated, do you feel oppressed by the Metro Manila mayors’ approved resolution? Do you trust MMDA chairman Abalos at all?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City to intensify its efforts in reaction to rising cases

January 3, 2022January 2, 2022carlocarrasco

The City Government of Muntinlupa announced that it will intensify its efforts on dealing with COVID-19 as the number of local cases went up sharply in recent times, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin’s report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government will intensify efforts as the number of active coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the city reached more than 100.

Data from the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO) showed that as of Jan. 1, the active COVID-19 cases in the city rose to 131, an increase of 59 cases or by 82 percent compared to 72 active cases recorded on Dec. 31.

In the last seven days, Muntinlupa’s active cases rose from 20 to 131. The city government tallied 119 new COVID-19 cases from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 from 27,623 confirmed cases on Dec. 26 to 27,742 on Jan. 1.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,617 new COVID-19 cases in the whole country on Jan. 1, an increase of 656 new cases, or 22 percent, from 2,961 cases on Dec. 31.

According to Dr. Juancho Bunyi, head of the Muntinlupa CHO, the majority of new cases in the city are travelers who came from the provinces to attend family gatherings and people who returned to Muntinlupa.

Bgy. Ayala Alabang, which has jurisdiction over the posh Ayala Alabang Village, posted 16 new cases on Jan. 1, the highest among the nine barangays in Muntinlupa.

Muntinlupa City residents who remain unregistered and unvaccinated should make a move to get registered by learning the ways to do it. Those who are prepared (with personal information available) and willing to go through online registration for the free vaccines in Muntinlupa are encouraged to click https://vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac/

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about this latest local development? Do you think that there are still some members of your local community who remain unvaccinated until now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines discussing long-term response over Typhoon Odette devastation

December 30, 2021December 29, 2021carlocarrasco

The ties between Israel and the Philippines continued to strengthen as the Jewish State provided very valuable assistance to victims of Typhoon Odette. The Typhoon Odette-related matters between the two nations did not end there, however, as Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss announced that discussions are being made with regards to providing long-term response connected to the ongoing relief operations, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin article. Some parts in boldface…

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss announced that his group is now “in discussion” with the Philippine government on how to provide a “long-term response” amid the ongoing relief operations after the devastation of typhoon Odette.

“Now we are in discussions with the government here – what should be long term response?” Fluss said during a televised interview on Monday, Dec. 27.

The Israeli diplomat also said that the Israeli Embassy has joined hands with Israeli civil society, which has already seen the devastation, to help in the relief efforts in heavily-affected areas in the country.

“There are already some Israeli NGOs (non-government organizations) that have started working here and then will stay here also for the long run and we are supporting them and we’re doing this in coordination between us at the embassy and the Israeli government and Israeli NGOs and civil society so we’ll be here to stay,” Fluss said.

When the Philippine government was racing to reach out to affected areas after the onslaught of the deadly typhoon, Israel was among the foreign countries that immediately sent help to typhoon victims.

Fluss said they sent some food, hygiene kits, rice and solar panels to create energy, water purification systems to Cebu, Bohol and Siargao.

“This was very important for us to show the sympathy and the close relations and we care about the Philippines and what is happening here,” the ambassador said. “We are now looking how to continue for the longer run we are going to continue working.”

On the medical side, Fluss further said that they are working with Philippine hospitals in rebuilding some of the medical facilities that were damaged by the typhoon.

He also encouraged Filipinos to “keep the spirit, keep strong and still mark-up challenging times in front of us” in dealing with the impacts of both the typhoon and the coronavirus pandemic.

While enemies like Iran and Palestine have not given anything to help the typhoon victims as of this writing, Israel’s dedication to help Filipinos is transparent, genuine and solid. The ambassador also announced that all Filipinos staying in Israel got vaccinated for COVID-19. We should give thanks and praise to our Lord for these very important developments involving the Jewish State and we Filipinos can return the favor by helping the Israelites wholeheartedly. We can stand with Israel and protect it from its enemies.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Philippines now has 4 cases of Omicron variant

December 28, 2021December 27, 2021carlocarrasco

As families enjoyed the Christmas season here in the Philippines, the much-feared Omicron variant made its presence in the country felt again as the Manila Bulletin reported that there are now four Omicron cases counted. This is the result of the latest case that was discovered from yet another airline passenger who arrived from overseas and turned out positive (infected) in the country.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

The country has detected its fourth case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variant Omicron, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday, Dec. 27.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing that the individual is a 38-year-old woman from the United States who arrived in Manila on Dec. 10 via Philippine Airlines flight PR 127. Her nationality was not disclosed.

Vergeire stated she was quarantined upon arrival and on December 13, experienced throat itchiness and colds. During the fifth day of her quarantine on Dec.14, her specimen was collected and her results returned positive on Dec. 15.

She mentioned that the individual was then placed in an isolation facility and was discharged asymptomatic after a 10-day isolation on Dec. 24. She explained that the detection of Omicron came after the woman was discharged from isolation.

She added that the individual remains to be asymptomatic and is scheduled to be retested on Dec. 28.

Currently, according to Vergeire, they are still coordinating with the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) regarding the flight manifest. “Rest assured lahat naman po ng dumarating kapag dumating po sila for example galing from US yellow country, they are all quarantine for five days tested on the fifth day, once negative they are sent home but they have to do home quarantine until the 14th day.

She assured that all passengers who arrive from other countries are quarantined upon arrival and are tested on the fifth day. If their results return negative, they are sent home to do home quarantine until the 14th day.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about this latest development? Do you believe it is time for the national government to close the borders to international flights so that the Omicron variant’s growth in the Philippines can be stopped?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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I Love Israel: Philippines thanks Israel for providing much-needed assistance to typhoon victims

December 27, 2021December 25, 2021carlocarrasco

In case you missed the news, the powerful Typhoon Odette (international reference: Typhoon Rai) ravaged many places and residents in different parts of the Philippines causing many billions of Pesos of damage as well as disrupting the lives of many families.

Fortunately for the victims who lost a lot, the State of Israel went ahead in providing much-needed assistance and already they got recognized for it. Recently it was reported by the Manila Bulletin that the national authorities expressed its gratitude to Israel for donating a variety of items which are truly essential to the victims.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Malacañang thanked the Embassy of Israel after it sent donations of food and water to families in Visayas and Mindanao that were affected by typhoon “Odette”.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), the Philippine Air Force, and the Embassy of Israel conducted a ceremonial turnover of donations at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar bared in a statement Friday, Dec. 24.

The donations included a water purifier, four solar panels, more than 2,000 kilos of rice, and 500 food and hygiene packs are intended for residents of Siargao.

In his message, Andanar said the celebration of Christmas 2021 is different from the previous years due to the recent calamity that was Odette, which caused massive destruction in several province.

But the government has been able to roll out relief operations thanks to the help of donors like Israel.

“It is usually spent with so much merrymaking but this Christmas Eve (Friday) will not be the same in the few areas of Visayas and Mindanao. We want to thank Ambassador Ilan Fluss and the State of Israel for your generosity,” he said.

Fluss said that Israel is willing to share and support the country’s recovery from the typhoon.

He said they have already extended help to affected communities in Cebu and Bohol. Now, they are expanding their efforts to help Siargao.

“The State of Israel has witnessed the devastating result of typhoon Odette and the impact it had on the people. It destroyed infrastructure and homes, and claimed lives. We, as friends of the Philippines, cannot stay indifferent,” he said.

The above report ended quoting the Israeli ambassador stating that they are looking for long-term aid to see what they could do in the rehabilitation of medical centers together with other organizations.

We should all be thankful to God that our nation has a very essential partner and close friend in Israel which did not hesitate in helping the typhoon victims. Israel continues to bless our nation and we Filipinos can bless them in return in a variety of helpful ways. Also take note that, as of this writing, Israel’s enemies Iran and Palestine so far provided NOTHING to the Typhoon Odette victims. As for the “Free Palestine” fanatics, they are just wasting their lives condemning Israel and they do not even care about the typhoon victims.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Las Piñas City government releases 150,000 Noche Buena packages

December 23, 2021December 22, 2021carlocarrasco

In time for Christmas, the City Government of Las Piñas distributed one hundred and fifty thousand Noche Buena packages to specific constituents, according to Manila Bulletin news report. It should be recalled that months ago, Mayor Imelda Aguilar stated that her administration wants Christmas in the city to be joyful (in relation to getting vaccinated for COVID-19) and this latest move by the City Government is an extension of that.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Las Pinas City government distributed 150,000 Noche Buena packages to senior citizens, persons with disability (PWds), and indigent families in the city.

Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the tickets for “Pamaskong Handog” of the local government were already allocated to the 20 barangays in the city since Dec. 18.

Aguilar said the city government aims to finish the distribution of “Pamaskong Hadog” tickets on Wednesday, Dec. 22, so that the beneficiaries will have something to prepare and eat on Christmas eve.

She said it’s been the city’s annual tradition to distribute “Pamaskong Handog” to senior citizens, PWDs and indigent families.

Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery speaking to the recipients just before the formal release of the Noche Buena packages at one of the distribution sites. (photo sourced from the City Government’s Facebook page)

“I want all Las Piñeros to have something on their table in celebration of Christmas. In our own little way, the city government can make them happy and celebrate a joyful Christmas,” Aguilar said.

Vice-Mayor April Aguilar has been visiting barangays in the city to ensure the orderly and timely distribution of the Noche Buena packages.

The above report ended stating that each Noche Buena package comes with spaghetti noodles and sauce, condensed milk, fruit cocktail, and three kilograms of rice grain.

*A batch of the Noche Buena packages prepared for distribution. (photo sourced from the City Government’s Facebook page)*

Apart from encouraging local residents to get vaccinated, the overall count of vaccinations in the city has surpassed the 1,000,000 mark and the number of local active COVID-19 cases went down. There is still the potential threat of the Omicron variant which is present here in the Philippines and no less than President Rodrigo Duterte expressed worry about coming up with the funds to deal with it. While people in Metro Manila are enjoying the freedom to move around under the Alert Level 2 status (much less restrictions compared to Alert Levels 3 and 4), there is still the need to be cautious and follow health protocols.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this recent development? Are you confident that Christmas in your city will be more joyful this year? If you have not been vaccinated, do you plan to get vaccinated during the holidays?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City approaching 100% full vaccination rate on its target population

December 21, 2021December 18, 2021carlocarrasco

Christmas is just a few days away and the good news to hear about Muntinlupa City as of late is that almost 100% of its target population has been fully vaccinated (injected with 2 doses of most brands of COVID-19 vaccines), according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin’s report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government reported that 96 percent of the city’s target population is now fully vaccinated.

Latest data from the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO) showed that as of Dec. 16, a total of 366,023 individuals in Muntinlupa have been vaccinated or 96 percent of the target city population of 383,021.

By vaccination rate by barangay, Buli has 10,377 fully vaccinated individuals or 147 percent of the target population 7,055 followed by Alabang, 54,370 (112 percent); Tunasan, 43,251 (107 percent); Ayala Alabang, 16,603 (102 percent); Cupang, 42,279 (95 percent); Putatan, 59,331 (88 percent); Bayanan, 24,043 (86 percent); Sucat, 32,305 (74 percent); and Poblacion, 64,448 (74 percent). An additional 19,016 individuals have been fully vaccinated.

In addition, the Muntinlupa City government has administered booster shots to 12,500 individuals.

Meanwhile, Muntinlupa’s active coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases logged only eight as of Dec. 17 from seven on Dec. 16.

Muntinlupa recorded three new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 17 and two new recoveries and zero deaths.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about this latest local development? Does this latest news make you feel comfortable knowing that the country already has Omicron cases?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City issues public warning about Omicron variant

December 20, 2021December 17, 2021carlocarrasco

The Omicron variant is still being feared a lot by people and government officials as it is often being reported in the news and the recent published results of two separate studies that found the said variant more infectious and resistant to the COVID-19 vaccine of Pfizer. The Omicron variant was recently detected here in the Philippines and in relation to that, the City Government of Muntinlupa issued a public warning, according to a recent Manila Bulletin report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government has reminded residents to strictly follow minimum public health standards after the detection of the first two Omicron variant cases in the country.

Dr. Juancho Bunyi, head of the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO), said when the news about the detection of the Omicron variant cases came out, the CHO alerted all barangays and communities to be ready.

Muntinlupa’s Prevent, Detect, Isolation, Treat, Reintegration (PDITR) and the vaccination teams are on alert to ensure that the city is ready, Bunyi added.

He advised the strengthening of rescue units in barangays and the disaster risk reduction and management office due to the Omicron variant, and to strictly implement health protocols especially in malls and other closed areas, and crowded places.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), two Omicron variant cases were detected from 48 samples that were sequenced on Dec. 14.

One Omicron-positive case is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF) who arrived in the Philippines from Japan on Dec. 1 on Philippine Airlines flight number PR 0427. His sample was collected on Dec. 5 and he tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Dec. 7. The patient is in an isolation facility managed by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and is asymptomatic but had symptoms of colds and cough upon arrival, according to the DOH.

Prior to the reporting of the first Philippine cases of Omicron, a lot of people have been going out visiting places and coming to varied businesses (stores, food-and-beverage, cinemas, etc.) for their needs and wants. This is evident in Alabang which has many places that attract people like Festival Mall and Commercenter in Filinvest City, the Alabang Town Center (ATC) and Molito commercial complex located just outside Ayala Alabang Village, and more. Those said places are known to attract customers not only from around Muntinlupa but also from BF Homes, Las Piñas City, Cavite province, Laguna province and more.

How the City Government’s public warning about the Omicron variant will affect local commerce remains to be seen.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about this latest local development? Have you done a lot of research about the Omicron variant already?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: According to two studies, Omicron variant causes less severe symptoms while being more resistant to Pfizer’s vaccine

December 17, 2021December 15, 2021carlocarrasco

News reports about the Omicron variant continue to scare people and their respective authorities around the world. To cut through all the noise and fear made by the secular liberal media outlets and their Leftist activists working as journalists, it’s time we pay attention to specific details about the Omicron variant with regards to infection and reaction towards the COVID-19 vaccine of Pfizer, as reported by CBN News.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the statement published by CBN News. Some parts in boldface…

The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to cause less severe symptoms than earlier variants of COVID-19, but it’s also more resistant to the Pfizer vaccine, according to two new studies.

A Center for Disease Control study (CDC), published Friday, looked at 43 people with the confirmed strain.

The five-page report shows the most common symptoms are cough, fatigue, congestion, or runny nose lasting around three days.

More than 58% of those surveyed were young people between 18 and 39 years old. And 79% of those infected with the variant were vaccinated, including 14 people who had received a booster dose. In addition, 16% had been infected with COVID-19 before.

Only one person who was vaccinated was hospitalized.

Findings from a much larger study by Discovery Health revealed the Pfizer vaccine is less responsive to the Omicron variant.

Discovery Health is South Africa’s largest health insurance provider and the group looked at 78,000 cases of this particular variant between Nov. 15 and Dec. 7.

According to study findings, the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination provides 70% protection against hospitalization from Omicron but only 33% protection against a COVID-19 infection from this highly contagious variant.

Ryan Noach, Discovery Health’s chief executive, said the variant is more transmissible despite lower hospitalization rates.

“The omicron-driven fourth wave has a significantly steeper trajectory of new infections relative to prior waves,” he said in a statement. “National data show an exponential increase in both new infections and test positivity rates during the first three weeks of this wave, indicating a highly transmissible variant with rapid community spread of infection.”

“What is encouraging at this stage is a flatter trajectory of hospital admissions indicating likely lower severity of this wave,” he told a news briefing later.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky described their agency’s smaller study as a starting point.

“I know we all remain concerned about where we are in the pandemic both with delta and now with the omicron variant,” she said during the White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing. “CDC has been actively addressing and evaluating the omicron variant and working with state and local jurisdictions to understand its spread.”

As seen in the above report, the two separate studies revealed key aspects of the Omicron variant: it has caused mild symptoms and among the forty-three people who got infected by the variant, one patient (described as vaccinated although it’s not clear as to how many doses were injected) got hospitalized. The other finding about Pfizer’s vaccine being less responsive to Omicron is more concerning as it is a fact that many millions of people around the world got vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech. In a somewhat related move, Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 pill could work against Omicron.

Going back to vaccines, the team behind Sputnik vaccines of Russia declared their current vaccines are effective against all variants, that they will prove to be effective against the Omicron variant, and they went ahead developing a new version of their vaccine with Omicron in mind. Here in the Philippines, the Omicron variant has been detected for the first time. Prior to the confirmation of the first two Omicron cases, the daily average of new COVID-19 infections remained in the hundreds and only 235 new cases were counted on December 14, which is the lowest count since May 2020. The Philippines also has over 40 million people fully vaccinated and a lot more people are able to move around in public and support the many struggling businesses as community restrictions have been eased. As of this writing, it remains to be seen if the Omicron variant will somehow cause a spike in the daily average count of new COVID-19 cases.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about these newest developments related to the Omicron variant? If you were injected with a Pfizer-made vaccine, what can you say about the recent study that found the said vaccine to be less responsive to the Omicron variant? What is the one aspect about Omicron that concerns you the most right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Cover photo used in this article was sourced from CBN News.

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