COVID-19 Crisis: Newly recovered from COVID-19, Muntinlupa City Mayor Biazon returns and urges people to get boosted

In the progressive city of Muntinlupa, Mayor Ruffy Biazon returned to work after recovering from COVID-19 and he went on to encourage people to avail of their booster shots, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon returned to work at the City Hall on Monday, Aug. 22, after recovering from Covid-19 and urged people to get their booster shots.

Biazon attended the weekly flag-raising ceremony for the first time since he tested positive for Covid-19 last week.

He said the City Health Office (CHO) gave him the clearance to report for work on Aug. 21.

“It’s good to be back,” Biazon greeted city hall employees after being under isolation for one week.

Biazon credited his booster shot for easing the Covid-19 symptoms he experienced.

“Take it from me. Ako ay nagpapasalamat at nagpabooster ako dahil ang effect sa akin ng Covid was just mild (I am thankful that I got booster [shot] because the effect of Covid-19 to me was just mild),” he said.

He said he experienced cold, cough, sore throat and body aches for three days but the symptoms were gone after that period. The mayor urged everyone to follow minimum health protocols.

The above article ended stating that as of August 21, Muntinlupa had 53 new COVID-19 cases followed by 45 recoveries and one death. Nationwide, the new COVID-19 cases were recorded at more than 3,600.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? If you have not received your first or second booster shot, did Mayor Biazon inspire you to avail of it? In case you have not availed of your first booster shot, how long has it been since you got your 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine and became fully vaccinated? Have you tried contacting MunCoVac recently? Did you spot anyone from the anti-vaccine fanatics community spread lies and misinformation online?

If you are a local resident who needs to get vaccinated or boosted in Muntinlupa City, contact the MunCoVac or visit them at https://www.facebook.com/MunCoVac

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

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: Omicron-adapted vaccines may generate more immunity

As it is no secret that the Omicron variant and its own subvariants proved to be more infectious, COVID-19 vaccines that have been formulated specifically against Omicron are key to help the nation’s population become more immune and bring down the number of new COVID-19 infections. The talk about Omicron-adapted vaccines came up recently as reported by the Manila Bulletin.

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

Vaccines that specifically target the Omicron variant of Covid-19 may generate more immunity and minimize the severity of the infectious disease in the Philippines, a vaccine expert said on Monday, Aug. 15.

The Department of Health (DOH) previously expressed its plan to procure Omicron-adapted vaccines from other countries once available. Backing this decision, Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) Chairperson Dr. Nina Gloriani said that these variant-adapted vaccines will be beneficial to the Philippines, considering that the dominant variants in the country are BA.4 and BA.5.

“Sa ngayon, ang umiikot na variant sa atin ay BA.4 and BA.5. Kung ibibigay natin itong bagong vaccine in a bivalent form ay mas makakatulong ito na mas mag generate ng immunity against the specific variant na [nasa bansa]. Ito ang basehan nila kaya gusto nilang magbigay ng variant-specific vaccine (Right now, the dominant variants we have are BA.4 and BA.5. If we give this new vaccine in a bivalent form, it will help generate more immunity against the specific variant in the country. This is their basis that is why they want to provide a variant-specific vaccine),” said Gloriani in a “Laging Handa” public briefing.

An Omicron-adapted vaccine, according to Gloriani, has two forms: monovalent and bivalent. Monovalent vaccines are the variant-adapted ones, which means that it specifically targets Omicron and its sub variants. Bivalent, on the other hand, targets both the original strain of Covid-19 and the Omicron variant.

Asked when the Philippines could procure this vaccine, the expert said that it may take a few months as the vaccines need to undergo authorization before it may be declared safe for jabs.

Take note that in recent times, more patients have been declared by the Department of Health (DOH) eligible to get the 2nd booster shot and all local government units (LGUs) nationwide have been ordered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ramp up their local vaccine/booster operations. The City Government of Muntinlipa has started expanding its vaccine hubs.

The Philippine Genome Center (PGC) declared the Omicron BA.5 subvariant as the predominant sample they have sequenced. With regards to ensuring effective immunity against Omicron, it would be helpful for the Philippines to acquire a lot more new doses of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light (read and find out by clicking here, here, here, here, and here). At the same time, the national authorities should give people an update about the current status of whatever supplies they still have about COVID-19 vaccines.

Let me end this by asking you readers: Do you want to see the national authorities import a lot of Omicron-adapted vaccines as soon as possible? What is the one thing about Omicron and its subvariants that concern you the most right now? Do you happen to personally know an anti-vaccine fanatic who has been working on spreading lies and misinformation around the Philippines? Do you think that terrorists and anarchists from overseas are funding the anti-vaccine movement of the Philippines?

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

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: PinasLakas launched in Las Piñas City

As the Philippines averaged over four thousand new COVID-19 cases per day during the period of August 7 to 14, 2022, the efforts to immunize more people in the City of Las Piñas went some notches higher as the City Government launched PinasLakas program, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

The Las Piñas City government launched the PinasLakas vaccination program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to prepare the students for the resumption of face-to-face classes (F2F) in November.

According to Paul San Miguel, chief of Public Information Office (PIO), the Department of Health (DOH) in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) Las Piñas School Division Office launched a back-to-school vaccination booster drive on Aug. 15.

San Miguel said the City Health Office (CHO) reported to Mayor Imelda Aguilar that about 52% of the 5-11 age group were completely vaccinated.

The city is targeting to complete the primary vaccination and booster shots of the 12 to 17 years old before the opening of classes.

The mayor said after completing the vaccination of the younger population, the city government will conduct the booster shot vaccination in the markets, terminals, and worship places to make all the residents protected against the Covid-19 virus.

Alelee Aguilar-Andanar, daughter of the mayor; Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Joel T. Torrecampo; Las Piñas City Health Office Technical Officer Dr. Emily S. Calinisan; DOH MMCHD Regional Director Gloria J. Balboa; and officials of Las Piñas public schools were present during the launching of PinasLakas.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Are members of your local community now aware about the PinasLakas campaign in the city? Are the parents in your local community willing to have their children vaccinated for COVID-19? Did an anti-vaccine fanatic approach and bombard you with lies, distortion and misinformation lately?

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

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: Over 500,000 fully vaccinated in Muntinlupa City

In the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the number of fully vaccinated (meaning two doses of most COVID-19 vaccines received) adults in Muntinlupa City has exceeded more than half a million. To be more specific, the number is 517,524 according to the Manila Bulletin. Back in May, it was confirmed that the fully vaccinated population of Muntinlupa was close to reaching half a million.

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

The Muntinlupa City government reported that the total number of fully vaccinated individuals has reached more than 517,000.

Based on data from the City Health Office (CHO), as of Aug. 11, Muntinlupa has 517,524 fully vaccinated individuals, or 117 percent of the 80 percent target population of 442,517.

Of the total, 176,751 individuals have received their first booster shots, or 40 percent of the target population and 24,064 were given their second booster shot.

Among the pediatric population of 12 to 17 years old, 42,561 have been fully vaccinated, or 75.33 percent of the total population of 56,499. Of the total, 4,510 have been given their first booster shot.

In addition, there are 18,318 fully vaccinated individuals among the five to 11 years old in Muntinlupa, or 27 percent of the total population of 68,198.

The Muntinlupa City government recently announced that it will launch new vaccination sites to increase coverage among senior citizens and the general population.

This is to comply with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to reach 90 percent coverage for primary series among senior citizens and 50 percent coverage for first booster shot among the general population until Oct. 8 this year.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? Are you feeling confident that more people in the city will become better protected from COVID-19? Are people in your local community aware that more vaccination sites around the city have been opened? Do you believe that anti-vaccine fanatics are scaring people with their propaganda and lies?

If you are a local resident who needs to get vaccinated or boosted in Muntinlupa City, contact the MunCoVac or visit them at https://www.facebook.com/MunCoVac

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, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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: Muntinlupa City Government set to expand local vaccination sites starting with schools on August 15, 2022

With the national daily average of new COVID-19 cases now in the thousands, it is clear that the expansion of vaccination and booster operations is needed in each locality. That being said, the City Government of Muntinlupa will do exactly that by opening vaccination sites starting with local schools on August 15, 2022 and in other places subsequently, according to a Manila Bulletin report. Take note that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. already urged people to get their booster shots. He also announced that no lockdown will be done.

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

The Muntinlupa City government is set to launch Covid-19 vaccination sites in schools on Aug. 15 to increase coverage among senior citizens and the general population.

Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dr. Juancho Bunyi said this is in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to reach 90 percent coverage for primary series among senior citizens and 50 percent coverage for first booster shot among the general population until Oct. 8 this year.

Based on the recomputed targets, the CHO needs to vaccinate 1,357 senior citizens and 27,700 individuals among the general population to achieve the goal.

As of Aug. 5, a total of 533,944 individuals have been fully vaccinated, or 134.9 percent of the 70 percent target, while 172,672 and 22,458 individuals received their first and second booster shots, respectively.

Of the total, the fully vaccinated individuals were 39,824 among the A2 group (senior citizens), 436,008 for the 18 to 59 years old age group, 40,698 for the 12-17 years old, and 17,414 for the 5-11 years old.

For the first booster, 23,304 are senior citizens, 145,533 are from among the 18 to 59 years old, and 3,835 are from the 12-17 years old.

The settings-based vaccination will be implemented based on the following schedule: Week 1 – schools, Week 2 – homeowners associations, Week 3 – markets, Week 4 – terminals, Week 5 – offices, Week 6 – factories, Week 7 – plazas, and Week 8 – churches.

On Aug. 15, the CHO will launch the vaccination sites in schools. The pilot cluster sites are the Putatan Elementary School (PES), Tunasan High School Annex (TNHS), and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa. Officials from the regional health office are expected to conduct a site visit in the schools.

There will be six schools and two health centers which will serve as cluster sites for vaccination: Alabang Elementary School, Cupang Elementary School, Cupang Health Center, Sucat Elementary and High School, PES, Muntinlupa Science High School, TNHS, Itaas Elementary School, Poblacion Elementary School, and Southville Health Center.

Each cluster site will accommodate students, their parents, and teaching and non-teaching personnel of schools.

The above article ended stating that new vaccination sites will be established on August 26 at the Poblacion Bucal tricycle station, and on September 26 at the Alabang Public Market.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Are you satisfied to learn about the opening of new vaccination sites in schools within the city? Are you a parent who has a child enrolled at one of the mentioned schools with vaccination sites? Have members of the anti-vaccine fanatics contacted you lately? Do you think the anti-vaccine fanatics are conspiring with terrorist or anarchist groups to worsen the COVID-19 situation all over the Philippines?

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

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: NCR’s COVID-19 growth rate shrinks from 14% to 5% according to OCTA Research

As the nation has a renewed drive to have more people vaccinated or boosted for COVID-19, the COVID-19 growth rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) fell down significantly based on the findings of OCTA Research, GMA Network reported.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…

The one-week growth rate of COVID-19 infections in the National Capital Region (NCR) has decreased to 5%, independent monitoring group OCTA Research said Wednesday.

In a tweet, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said that NCR’s growth rate as of Tuesday, August 9, was at 5% after logging 828 new COVID-19 cases.

This is down from the 14% growth rate recorded in the NCR on August 2.

Meanwhile, NCR’s reproduction number — or the number of people infected by one case — also went down to 1.17 as compared to the 1.24 recorded last week.

Aside from these, NCR’s one-week positivity rate — or the percentage of people found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested — also decreased from 17.4% on August 6 to 15.9% on August 9.

“This once again gives us hope that the peak of the wave in the NCR may occur by next week (no guarantees, of course),” David said.

He said Monday that the COVID-19 wave in the country was lasting longer than expected and could continue until the “ber” months.

David also noted that NCR’s seven-day COVID-19 case average slightly increased to 1,275. It now has an average daily attack rate (ADAR) of 8.85 per 100,000 population.

ADAR pertains to the incidence showing the average number of new cases in a period per 100,000 people.

NCR’s healthcare utilization rate was at 35.7%, while its intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy slightly went up to 31%.

“The trends need to be consistent for about a week before we can confidently say there is a downward trend,” David said.

Based on the findings of OCTA Research, the COVID-19 situation in the NCR has eased but that is still no reason to become complacent or careless. When going out of your home for work, meetings and other matters, keep on practicing caution by following health protocols. Keep on sanitizing yourselves constantly.

On the topic of immunity, I encourage you readers to inform the members of your local community to get vaccinated or boosted to truly achieve improved resistance against COVID-19. Never let the anti-vaccine fanatics fool you, even though they become violent and/or more aggressive with their lying, hypnotizing propaganda and fear tactics.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think latest findings of OCTA Research about COVID-19 infections in the National Capital Region? Have you been traveling around Metro Manila and went through thick crowds lately? If you have been boosted for COVID-19 previously, have you determined if you are qualified to get a 2nd booster shot? Did an anti-vaccine activist harass you recently?

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, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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: Philippine Genome Center declares Omicron subvariant BA.5 as the most predominant sample sequenced

The Philippines continues to count thousands of new COVID-19 cases daily (4,701 on August 5, 2022) and the Department of Health (DOH) stated that the situation may get even worse by the end of this month. In relation to these matters, the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) declared the Omicron BA.5 subvariant as the most predominant sample they have sequenced, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

In the past month alone, Omicron subvariant BA.5 has been the “most predominant” sample sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC), it said on Monday, Aug. 8.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia P. Saloma stated that it was “anywhere above 85 percent” of the sequenced samples. According to Saloma, there are only a few cases of BA.2.3 which was the dominant one back in January this year.

As of August 5, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said there were 95 new BA.5 cases detected. Of these cases, 67 were from Davao Region, 25 from Soccsksargen, and one case each from Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and the National Capital Region.

“We can probably say that this current wave is really the BA.5 wave in the country,” Saloma stated.

In line with this, she added that with the dominance of BA.5, they have recorded multiple cases of BA.5.2. She explained that in the United States and Europe what’s dominant is BA.5.1.

Currently, PGC has three facilities. The main office is in Diliman, Quezon City, another in PGC Visayas and in PGC Mindanao which all conducts whole genome sequencing.

In Diliman, Saloma said that they process 750 samples a week; 300 in Visayas, and 100 and Mindanao. PGC roughly sequences 1,100 to 1,200 cases weekly. The actual sequencing process lasts for 2 to 3 days. But according to her, from getting the samples up to releasing the results, it usually takes 5 to 6 days.

Meanwhile, she reported that there are no new cases of BA.2.75. DOH reported last Aug. 2 two cases of Omicron subvariant BA.2.75 in the country. Vergeire said that these two cases were from Western Visayas.

Months ago, the Omicron subvariant was the major problem and now its subvariants or mutated forms are impacting public health around the world. Already local government units (LGUs) have been ordered to ramp up the local vaccination and booster rollouts in connection with the new infections believed to have been caused by Omicron BA.5 subvariant.

In relation to the recent developments, I urge you readers to inform the members of your local community to get vaccinated or boosted to truly achieve improved resistance against COVID-19. Be encouraged to contact your local vaccination site or the local authorities to get yourselves immunized from COVID-19. Be aware that more previously boosted patients were declared eligible to have access to the 2nd booster shot and you might be among those who qualified. Also, do not forget to follow health protocols and prioritize your outdoor trips. Never let the anti-vaccine fanatics fool you, even if they become violent and/or more aggressive towards you with their lying, hypnotizing propaganda and fear tactics.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the Philippine Genome Center’s findings about the Omicron subvariant BA.5? Does the said subvariant make you feel afraid to go out knowing how infectious it is? Have you received your 2nd booster shot already? Did anyone from the anti-vaccine fanatics approach you recently?

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, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: Over 200 active cases in Muntinlupa City

In the progressive City of Muntinlupa, active local cases of COVID-19 have remained over two hundred based on the latest City Government data reported through the Philippine Star. This should remind you – notably Muntinlupa residents – to practice caution, follow health protocols, prioritize your trips outside the home and get vaccinated/boosted whenever you have the chance.

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

There are 219 active COVID-19 cases in Muntinlupa, the city government reported yesterday. The number is slightly lower compared to 220 active cases recorded last Wednesday.

The death toll in Muntinlupa brought by the COVID-19 pandemic remains at 622.

All nine barangays in Muntinlupa have active cases, with 51 in Poblacion. The other barangays with over 20 cases are Tunasan with 36; Ayala Alabang, 29; Alabang, 28; Putatan, 26, and Cupang, 21. The remaining barangays of Buli, Sucat and Bayanan have 12, 10 and six, respectively.

A total of 123 other persons are under monitoring for possible COVID infection.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think that people in the city have gotten complacent with following health protocols? Do you think that the City Government should do more to convince local constituents to get vaccinated/boosted? Did anyone from the anti-vaccine fanatics community harm you or bombard you with their lies and propaganda? Do you believe that the anti-vaccine fanatics want the entire Philippines to fail in the campaign against COVID-19?

If you are a local resident who needs to get vaccinated or boosted in Muntinlupa City, contact the MunCoVac or visit them at https://www.facebook.com/MunCoVac

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, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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: All LGUs ordered to ramp up vaccination and booster drive as Omicron cases increase

Does your local government unit (LGU) seem to be working sluggishly with regards to the local vaccination and booster drive for COVID-19? The local authorities should improve their performance on immunizing the locals as the Department of the Local and Interior Government (DILG) headed by Secretary Benhur Abalos has officially ordered all LGUs nationwide to ramp up the vaccination and booster rollouts, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr. directed on Saturday, July 30, all local government units (LGUs) to step-up their Covid-19 vaccination and booster inoculation efforts amid the rising number of 890 Omicron BA.5 subvariant infection in the country.

The DILG is one with PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) as we altogether aim for improved booster inoculation, hence, we direct all LGUs to ramp up their vaccination drives and encourage the eligible segment of the population to take advantage of the protection the booster shots offer,” Abalos said.

He said LGUs are integral in communicating the importance of boosters to overcome vaccination hesitancy and increase the number of eligible citizens that are boosted.

“Inaasahan ko ang pakikiisa ng bawat LGU upang mas paigtingin ang pagpapa-booster sa kanilang mga lokalidad. Alam nila ang pulso ng kanilang nasasakupan, kaya mas maipararating nila ang ating mensahe na ito (Covid-19 vaccines and boosters) ay ligtas at isa sa pinakamabisa nating sandata laban sa Covid-19 (I expect the cooperation of the LGUs to enhance the booster campaign in their localities. They know the sentiments of their turfs that is why they can send the message that it is safe and one of the most effective weapons against Covid-19),’’ he added.

As of July 25, only 15.9 million have received their booster doses out of the 71.5 million who are already fully vaccinated.

Intensified vaccination efforts

Abalos, in the DILG Memorandum dated July 15, 2022, directed LGUs to ramp up their vaccination efforts and instructs them to urge and reach out to all their unvaccinated and booster-eligible constituents; address vaccine hesitancy, particularly in rural and far-flung areas; bridge the gap between vaccination services and communities to make it easier for the people to get inoculated; and, avoid vaccine wastage by ensuring that all available vaccines are administered in their respective areas.

Now is the best time to get vaccinated and boosted as we continue to move forward and prepare for the full conduct of face-to-face classes which is already near. Let us all do our part in achieving the protection population that can ultimately benefit the whole Filipino citizenry,” Abalos insisted.

The DILG secretary also urged LGUs to support the Department of Health’s (DOH) PinasLakas (Enhancement) campaign which was launched on July 26, 2022.

PinasLakas is the revitalized government Covid-19 vaccination and booster campaign that aims to achieve the government’s targets of vaccinating 90 percent of senior citizens and boosting 50 percent of the eligible population in the first 100 days of the administration.

It also highlights the unity between government agencies, LGUs, the health sector, the private sector and other key organizations towards Covid-19 population protection.

“Hinihikayat ko po ang lahat ng LGUs na makiisa sa PinasLakas upang mas lalong maprotektahan ang ating ating senior citizens at lumakas ang immunity ng eligible population (I am encouraging all the LGUs to support the PinasLakas to further protect our senior citizens and strengthen the immunity of the eligible population),’’ Abalos said.

Take note that in recent times, more patients have been declared by the Department of Health (DOH) eligible to get the 2nd booster shot. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. already declared that no lockdown will be declared as his administration has a COVID-19 exit strategy is already being developed.

Let me end this by asking you readers: Has your LGU been doing a bad job organizing COVID-19 vaccination operations? Do you believe that the anti-vaccine fanatics fooled your local government officials with their misinformation and lies? Has your local government been issuing 2nd booster shots to the comorbid patients (18-49 years old) and adults aged 50-above? Do you believe that the anti-vaccine fanatics will organize another misinformation campaign drive now that they know the DILG ordered LGUs nationwide to ramp up vaccination and booster rollouts? Do you think that the anti-vaccine fanatics sold their souls to anarchists, terrorists and fascist figures?

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

COVID-19 Crisis: During SONA, President Marcos declares no more lockdown

During his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., stated that there would be no more lockdown in the Philippines in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Take note that new cases of COVID-19 have been rising nationwide but they have not reached the point of overwhelming the healthcare system.

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

“We will no longer implement a lockdown.”

This was among the most resounding remarks President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. pronounced during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 25, that lasted for more than an hour.

The President said while there are new variants of the coronavirus being discovered at the present, the Philippines can no longer afford to go through another lockdown, so he pronounced that under his administration, there will no longer be lockdown.

“Sa ating sitwasyon ng pangkalusugan, nariyan pa rin ang banta ng Covid-19 lalo’t may mga nadidiskubreng bagong variant ng coronavirus, pero hindi na natin kakayanin ang isa pang lockdown (In our health situation, the threats of new Covid-19 variants are still here, but we can no longer afford another lockdown),” Marcos said.

“Wala na tayong gagawing lockdown (We will no longer implement a lockdown),” the President added, earning an applause from the legislature.

Marcos said health protocols will, however, be implemented depending on the current situation.

For added context, watch this Inquirer news video below.

In relation to President Marcos’ remark of no more lockdown, the Department of Health (DOH) it will act to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system. The DOH shall carry out the directives of the President on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic while improving access to primary and specialty healthcare. Both the DOH and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have been directed by Marcos to organize another rollout of booster shots for COVID-19.

Personally, I strongly agree that there should be no more lockdown even if there would be another surge of COVID-19 cases. As we have seen before, a single lockdown caused heavy damage on the economy (limited or shut businesses, loss of income, increased unemployment) and on people. I believe our nation has what it takes to live on with COVID-19, move forward and rise up stronger from the crisis. To achieve true forward momentum, there is still the need to organize wide-scale COVID-19 vaccination operations (note: the national government has to deal with stored vaccines nearing expiration), declare a lot more people eligible for the 2nd booster shot (note: DOH still needs to do any real work on this) and convince people strongly to follow health protocols. There is also the possibility of modifying the COVID-19 alert level system. What President Marcos declared in his speech is clearly related to the COVID-19 exit strategy.

In relation to all of these, I urge you and members of your local community to get vaccinated or boosted, and keep following health protocols to truly achieve improved resistance against COVID-19. Never let the anti-vaccine fanatics fool you, even though they become violent and/or more aggressive towards you and your local community with their lying and fearmongering.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about President Marcos’ no more lockdown remark? Do you believe that the Philippines can move forward with COVID-19? Has anyone from the anti-vaccine extremists been hounding you, or even harassing you? Are many members of your local community eager to get their 2nd booster shots?

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, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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