COVID-19 Crisis: Beware of fake vaccination cards and the scammers behind them

As more people are lining up at vaccination sites around the country to get vaccinated or boosted for COVID-19, there is a rise in the number of fake vaccination cards as reported in the news which, in my view, is most likely related to the implementation of the No Vax, No Ride policy as well as the imposed restrictions on unvaccinated individuals.

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

The Pasay City police arrested a graphic artist who was allegedly the source of fake vaccination cards proliferating in the city and being sold to unvaccinated commuters, Tuesday afternoon.

Col. Cesar Paday-os, Pasay City police chief, identified the suspects as Marcelo Cabansag, 28, a resident of 366 F. Rosario St., Barangay 59, Pasay City.

Paday-os said Cabansag is now detained at the Pasay City police custodial facility and is facing charges for violation of falsification of public documents in relation to RA 11332, Sec. 9 paragraph (b).

He said Cabansag was arrested in an entrapment operation at about 5:30 p.m. at No. 32 P. Arnaiz Avenue, Libertad, Barangay 94 Zone 11, Pasay City.

The city police chief said Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano came out with an order for the arrest of Cabansag after learning that he was the main source of fake vaccination cards proliferating in the city.

The police arrested two public transportation barkers identified as Alex Bagayan, 39, and Eddie Garcia, 46, on Monday at about 6:30 o.m. along Apelo Cruz St., Barangay 151, Malibay, Pasay City for selling fake vaccination card for P500 each to unvaccinated commuters.

Paday-os said the arrested barkers pinpointed Cabansag as the person behind the printing of fake vaccination cards that are being sold to them at P100 each.

He said Cabansag admitted that he already printed around 50 pieces of fake vaccination cards this January after the “no vaccination card, no ride” police was implemented.

And now here is a look at another Manila Bulletin news report about fake vaccination cards, only this time the story is set in Quezon City. Some parts in boldface…

Police arrested a woman for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards in Barangay E. Rodriguez, Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 26.

Lt. Col. Elizabeth D. Jasmin, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Cubao Station (PS 7) commander, said the suspect, identified as Huwela Mifuel Gabrido, 51, was nabbed in an entrapment operation.

According to the police, they launched the operation after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen. They were able to buy from the suspect a fake vaccination card for P15,000, which was paid through G-Cash.

Gabrido, who came with two cohorts, was arrested upon meet-up with a police poseur-buyer at No. 44 Cambridge St., Brgy. E. Rodriguez at around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

However, her two cohorts escaped.

As seen in the above excerpts of the two news reports, the making and selling fake vaccination cards is unlawful. It shows that making money using illegal methods will lead to trouble and punishment under the justice system. There are people out there who are daring to take advantage of the unvaccinated people who in turn are willing to pay a lot of money to obtain an illegal item to get through the restrictions. As for the unvaccinated, using a fake vaccination card itself will make them violators of varied rules and regulations.  

To be clear, the issue of fake vaccination cards here in the Philippines is not new. In fact, there were computer shops in Muntinlupa City that engaged in producing and selling fake vaccination cards. For added insight about the issue of fake vaccination cards, watch these Philippines news videos.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think local government units and police officers must do to fight the spread of fake vaccination cards? Are there unvaccinated people in your local community who are eager to obtain fake vaccination cards even though it will put them at risk of getting into trouble with the law?

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

+++++

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: More than 9,600 children aged 5-11 y/o registered for vaccination in Muntinlupa City

As Muntinlupa City prepares for the vaccination rollout for children aged 5-11 years old, the City Government has recorded more than 9,600 children from the age group pre-registered in the city’s database.

At least 9,653 children aged 5-11 years old are pre-registered in Muntinlupa’s COVID-19 vaccination program as of January 30, according to the City Health Office (CHO). Of the total, 1,025 are from the pediatric A3 group, or those with co-morbidities, and 8,628 are from the rest of the pediatric population.

Muntinlupa CHO acting chief Dr. Juancho Bunyi said the city will have two (2) vaccination sites for the 5-11 years old: Laguerta Health Center in Brgy. Tunasan and Ospital ng Muntinlupa in Brgy. Alabang.

Bunyi noted that the target population for the age group is around 68,000. The local health officer also advised the public to wait for further advisory from the Muntinlupa City COVID-19 Vaccination Program (MunCoVac) for vaccination schedules.

As part of the Phase 1 implementation, the national government will be launching the pilot vaccination rollout for children aged 5-11 years old on February 4 in the following sites: Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Manila Zoo, SM North EDSA (Skydome), and Fil Oil Gym in San Juan City.

The Phase 2 of the rollout will include expansion in the NCR and other regions.

Last December 23, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved EUA for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11 years old.

Children aged 5-11 years old shall receive a 10 microgram/dose concentrate of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and the second dose shall be given three weeks after the first dose to complete the vaccination course.

Muntinlupa residents may be pre-registered online through the city’s COVID-19 vaccination registration system www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac. The public may choose the category “Pediatric A3 (5-11 yrs. old)” for those with co-morbidities and category “Pediatric/Rest of the Pediatric Population (5-11 yrs. old)” for well-child population or those without co-morbidities.

Meanwhile, for the 12-17 age group, the local government has inoculated at least 34,562 minors as of January 30. This translates to 62% of the age group’s target population.

Further, as of January 30, at least 474,309 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the city or 124% of the target. Of the total, 412,932 were fully vaccinated or 108% of the target. At least 66,353 received their booster shot.

To date, Muntinlupa City has 38,489 confirmed cases with 37,352 recoveries, 538 active cases, 599 reported deaths, 0 suspect case, and 252 probable cases.

+++++

The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.

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/

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: Las Piñas City online registration for vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 is ongoing

The City Government of Las Piñas announced that it has officially launched the online registration for minors aged 5 to 11-years-old for COVID-19 vaccination, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. In recent times, the total number of vaccination in the city surpassed 1.2 million. More on children aged 5 to 11, it was announced that more than 168,000 of them have registered as of Saturday.

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 started the registration of children and students aged five to 11 on Saturday (Jan. 29).

Las Pinas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar encouraged parents of minors belonging to the said age group to register them at the city’s “Bakunahan sa Kabataan” for them to get protection against the COVID-19.

Aguilar told parents or guardians of five to 11 years old to visit and register their children at https://bit.ly/e-covid19reg.

She said in visiting the link for registration of vaccination of minors, parents and guardians will be asked to answer questions properly.

The mayor added once they received the confirmation, the registrants will get a text message of their schedule of vaccination and the vaccination site.

For all the unvaccinated people reading this, any Las Piñas resident who has yet to get registered for the free COVID-19 vaccines can learn the ways (4 methods) by clicking here. Anyone who is ready and willing to register online can click bit.ly/LasPiñasVaccination

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? If you are a parent of young children living within the city, what do you think of the idea of vaccination for those aged 5 to 11?

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

+++++

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: Philippines vaccine expert panel members call Sputnik Light a good booster shot against COVID-19

I said it before and I will say it again – the Philippines should acquire a lot more supplies of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to be used in nationwide vaccination for COVID-19 especially as the Omicron variant has been present locally (reportedly over a thousand cases nationwide) and already there were people who died because of it. There are already studies confirming that Sputnik vaccines are effective against the highly infectious Omicron variant (for references, click here, here and here). Recently a few experts on vaccination here in the Philippines expressed their views about the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine as reported by CNN Philippines. Here is hoping the national government will pay close attention to the details.

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

Gamaleya Institute’s single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine is a good booster shot candidate against coronavirus infection, according to members of the Philippines’ vaccine expert panel.

Pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Maria Liza Gonzales shared the study on 84 individuals who received Sputnik Light. This measured the antibody, T-Cell responses, and the level of virus neutralizing activity against variants of concern — including the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.

It showed Sputnik Light enhanced the immune response of previously infected individuals on the seventh day after vaccination. Those who never had COVID-19 infection, meanwhile, only developed antibody response after 21 days.

“Can it be useful as a booster? I think the studies would show that it would. It would actually enhance the immune response in those who were previously vaccinated and in fact…higher pa ang response in those who were previously infected. So, whether infected or not and given primary immunization, I think the Sputnik would be a good booster to be given, to be used,” Gonzales told a forum on Tuesday.

She noted that Sputnik Light has the same components as the first dose of Sputnik V.

Another vaccine expert panel member, Dr. Derrick Sumalapao, said the revaccination with Sputnik Light among inoculated individuals could elicit neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant.

“The good thing is there is presence of such neutralizing antibody to Omicron variant among the study participants revaccinated with Sputnik Light,” he said.

A study conducted by Italian Spallanzani Institute and Gamaleya Center also found that the level of antibodies fighting the Omicron variant among those vaccinated with Sputnik V did not decline as much as Pfizer. The study involved 51 people inoculated with Sputnik V and 17 with Pfizer.

It showed Sputnik V has more than twice the number of neutralizing antibodies to Omicron.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this newest development? Are you convinced that the national government as well as local government units (LGUs) should seriously consider acquiring more doses of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to really immunize as many Filipinos as possible as part of the effort to lift the country up from this pandemic? Are you aware that the nation of Tunisia approved the use of Sputnik Light as their universal booster for COVID-19 vaccines?

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

+++++

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/

COVID-19 Crisis: Almost 60 million Filipinos fully vaccinated

This past weekend, the national government announced that almost sixty million Filipinos nationwide have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, according to a report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be more precise, the official count was at 57 million.

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

The Philippines has administered 122,889,494 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines nationwide as of Saturday, with 57,095,695 Filipinos now with complete shots and better protected against the virus.

Data from the National Covid-19 vaccination dashboard showed 59,716,484 individuals have received at least the first dose of the primary series while 6,077,315 got their booster or additional doses.

The government recently launched the “Resbakuna sa Botika” program in partnership with private pharmaceutical stores and clinics to encourage more fully vaccinated Filipinos to avail of booster shots.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said “self-management and social responsibility” would greatly contribute to the country’s response to the global health crisis.

“Basically, it is not sustainable that only the national government will take care of everything. I believe the private sector, the LGUs (local government units), and also the different parts of our society want to have responsibility. And that’s the way forward to our Covid-19 pandemic response,” Galvez said in an interview at a booster vaccination event in Makati City on Friday.

Galvez said there should a policy shift from having a government-centered approach to giving pre-access to those who are willing to assist in the national vaccination program.

On face value, having 57 million fully vaccinated Filipinos nationwide sounds like good news but in reality it remains to be seen if the Omicron variant could be resisted. 

More on the Omicron variant, it is crucial for the Philippines to acquire as many new doses of Sputnik vaccines from Gamaleya to really immunize and boost more Filipinos as soon as possible. Already there were studies conducted showing that Sputnik V and Sputnik Light resulted in strong resistance against the Omicron variant (for references, click here, here and here). Historically, Muntinlupa City was one of the first cities of the Philippines to receive a batch of Sputnik V vaccines.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the news about our nation having almost sixty million fully vaccinated Filipinos sound encouraging to you? Are there still lots of unvaccinated people there in your local community? If you are managing a business, have you checked if your employees got fully vaccinated or even boosted? Are you still worried about the Omicron variant? If you have been fully vaccinated, when did you get your 2nd dose and when do you plan to get yourself boosted?

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

+++++

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: Las Piñas City’s vaccination count surpasses 1.2 million, over 530,000 fully vaccinated

The City Government of Las Piñas announced that their official COVID-19 vaccination count has surpassed 1,200,000 and over 530,000 of that were counted as fully vaccinated (meaning getting injected with 2 doses of most COVID-19 vaccines or getting injected with the single-dose Janssen vaccine). The statistics are accurate as of January 22, 2022.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the official update that the City Government released online…

The official statistics.

As seen above, the total number of patients who got fully vaccinated was at 532,786. It should be noted that getting fully vaccinated as well as getting boosted are crucial in relation to the Omicron variant’s effects on the Philippines. More on the statistics, the first dose count of 557,468 is 124.7% of the target population (70%) while the second dose account is 119.2% of the target population.

Meanwhile, the official booster dose count of Las Piñas City was recorded at 114,799. For the newcomers reading this, only the fully vaccinated are eligible to avail of the booster shot (AKA 3rd shot). 114,799 out of 532,786 is equivalent to 21.5%. There’s still a long way to go before the booster dose count of the city reaches the 500,000 mark. 

For all the unvaccinated people reading this, any Las Piñas resident who has yet to get registered for the free COVID-19 vaccines can learn the ways (4 methods) by clicking here. Anyone who is ready and willing to register online can click bit.ly/LasPiñasVaccination

Meanwhile, the City Government is already handling the online registration process for COVID-19 vaccination for local minors (aged 12 to 17) which can be done at http://laspinascityonline.laspinascity.gov.ph/eCVRS/

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? Do you think the city’s vaccination count could reach 2,000,000 within the year? Are the fully vaccinated members of your local community making efforts to get their booster shots? Do you hope that the City Government will receive more doses of the Sputnik vaccines as research showed they have strong resistance against the Omicron variant?

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

+++++

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: Muntinlupa City apprehends quarantine violators, strengthens vaccination drive amid rise in COVID-19 cases

Amid the sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases, members of the Muntinlupa City Police Station (MCPS) has apprehended more than 900 individuals this month for violating city ordinances and quarantine rules, while the City Health Office (CHO) strengthens the local vaccination efforts.

MCPS acting chief-of-police PCOL Angel Garcillano reported that 978 city residents were apprehended violating curfew hours, mandatory wearing of face mask and other city ordinances from January 1-24.

Of the total, 892 were apprehended for not wearing face masks while 54 violated the curfew.

Under City Ordinance No. 2020-109, every person in Muntinlupa is required to wear face masks at all times whenever outside of their residence, at the workplace, when entering government buildings and offices, and in public places.

Penalties for offenders include P300 for first offense, P500 for second offense, and P1,000 for third and subsequent offenses.

For violators who are minors, a stern warning will be given for the first offense, withdrawal of scholarship grant from the local government or P300 for non-grantee for second offense, and P500 for third and subsequent offenses. The penalty fee for minors will be charged against their parents or guardians.

Muntinlupa PNP has also installed COMELEC checkpoints and augmented its monitoring for the “No Vaccination Card/ID, No Ride” policy of the Department of Transportation.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi continues to urge city residents to strictly follow the minimum public health standards and get vaccinated amid the increasing COVID-19 cases in the city.

Muntinlupa CHO has recorded all time high figures last January 23 with 4,684 active cases and daily new confirmed cases at 467.

CHO acting chief Dr. Juancho Bunyi said the city has strengthened the PDITR + V strategy (Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, Recovery plus Vaccination) to combat the further spread of the virus.

The City Health Office has also launched the “Rolling Bakuna” to bring the vaccination services closer to the communities. From January 3 – 21, Muntinlupa CHO has inoculated 1,687 individuals for their first and booster dose in different barangays.

The Rolling Bakuna is set to serve the following communities and organizations in the coming days: Morning Breeze Alabang (January 25, 240 slots – Booster), Elsie Gaches Alabang (January 26, 300 slots – Booster), Posadas Sucat (January 27, 100 slots – Booster), and PNP Headquarters (January 28, 500 slots – Booster).

As of January 21, at least 461,766 individuals in Muntinlupa have received their first dose, translating to 120.56% of the target population. While, 395,435 in the city are fully vaccinated which is 103.24% of the target.

Of the total vaccinated individuals, 17,521 were inoculated for first dose and 10,659 for second dose in coordination with the private companies.

City residents may register online through the city’s COVID-19 vaccination registration system via www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac.

+++++

The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.

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/

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: Unvaccinated people in France banned from public venues due to new law

Over there in France – which I personally toured a very long time ago – a new law was approved by Parliament that severely affects people who still have not been vaccinated for COVID-19, according to a news report by CBN News. This means that the unvaccinated there in France are barred from all restaurants, sports arenas, and other venues. If you wish to see comparisons with what happened here in the Philippines, click herehereherehere, and here.

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

France’s parliament passed a law Sunday to discriminate against unvaccinated people, barring them from all restaurants, sports arenas, and other venues

The new measure applies to every French citizen 16 years of age and older. It requires proof of full vaccination for access to these venues, including tourist sites, trains, and airline flights. The new law also establishes tougher fines for fake vaccination passes and allows authorities to check IDs to avoid fraud

There are reports that France’s escalating campaign against unvaccinated people could eliminate the world’s number one tennis player from the upcoming French Open in May. The reigning champion Novak Djokovic was just deported from Australia and will miss the Australian Open as a result, and now France could be next.  

The Macron government says it’s trying to protect the country’s hospitals during a record number of infections caused by the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant. It comes even though health officials around the world admit that vaccinated and unvaccinated people are all susceptible to Omicron.

France’s National Assembly approved the law in a 215-58 vote. President Emmanuel Macron had hoped to get the bill pushed through sooner, but it was slightly delayed by resistance from lawmakers both on the right and left, along with hundreds of proposed amendments.

Protesters across Europe have spoken out recently against the harsh measures being taken to limit the freedom of unvaccinated citizens. French media report some demonstrators in France and Italy have even started wearing yellow Stars of David to say they feel like they’re being singled out in the way the Nazis first shamed the Jews during World War II

One protestor in Italy said, “We are creating a great inequality between citizens. We will have first-class citizens, who can access public services, the theater, social life, and second-class citizens, who cannot.”

More than 91% of French adults are already fully vaccinated, and some critics have wondered if the “vaccine pass” will make much of a difference since that high level of vaccination hasn’t stopped the Omicron wave from striking France. 

As CBN News reported last week, scientists are seeing signals that COVID-19′s alarming Omicron wave may have peaked in Britain. France’s health minister Dr. Olivier Véran, who has tested positive for COVID, said French authorities were keeping a close eye on data from Britain to ascertain whether France was nearing its own peak, according to The New York Times

The French government is hoping the new pass will be effective in reducing the number of new cases that are filling up strained medical centers across the country without having to employ new lockdown restrictions. A new lockdown would be another blow to France’s economy, which is the world’s fifth-largest economy. 

It could also affect Macron’s chances for reelection in the April 10 presidential election. But Macron has embraced the targeting of what he calls “irresponsible” unvaccinated individuals. He said, “Someone irresponsible is not a citizen,” saying their rights should be revoked because he no longer considers them to be citizens of France. 

Up until now, a COVID-19 pass has been required in France to go to restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and many sites throughout the country, but unvaccinated people have been allowed in if they show a recent negative test or proof of recent recovery. Some exceptions may be made for those who have recently recovered from COVID-19.  

More than 76% of French ICU beds are occupied by virus patients, most of them unvaccinated, and some 200 people with the virus are dying every day, according to the AP. 

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you remained unvaccinated for COVID-19 until now, how are you living with the imposed limitations in your local community? Do you think that the French Parliament did enough research before passing the reported law? How do you feel about the new law of France and the current state of the unvaccinated people over there? If you are a non-resident of France, does this newest development discourage you from visiting the said country?

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

+++++

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/

COVID-19 Crisis: Parañaque City issues new ordinance restricting the mobility of the unvaccinated

The City Government of Parañaque made it official to restrict the mobility of the people of the city who remain unvaccinated for COVID-19 by means of issuing a city ordinance or local law in relation to the Alert Level 3 status of Metro Manila, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. How will this affect the welfare of the people and the local businesses will be seen in the near future.

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


Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez signed Ordinance No. 1, Series of 2022, that regulates the movement of unvaccinated individuals in the city and provides penalties while Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 until Jan. 31.

Olivarez said the city government now bans the entry of unvaccinated individuals to malls, restaurants, and public transportation under the ordinance which was passed and approved by the City Council. He said that unvaccinated persons must remain in their residences at all times, except when absolutely necessary.

The City Health Office (CHO) recorded a significant increase in active cases following the recent holiday celebrations. From one active case last December 24, it has since spiked to 548 active cases last January 17.

Olivarez said that based on the ordinance, all COVID-19 cases, including asymptomatic, mild, probable, suspected cases, and close contacts are mandated to undergo quarantine at home or in the city’s isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the CHO.

He said unvaccinated individuals are prohibited in indoor and outdoor/al fresco dining in restaurants or other food establishments located anywhere in the city.

“They (unvaccinated persons) are also prohibited from leisure or social trips to malls, hotels, event venues, sports and country clubs, and similar facilities,” Olivarez said.

Concerned local establishments were encouraged to display near the entrance to their establishments a copy of the ordinance.

The ordinance penalizes individual violators with a fine of P 1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second, and P5,000 for the third and subsequent offenses.

The above article ended stating that if a violator is found resisting or trying to escape from apprehending authorities, an additional maximum penalty will be imposed.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City and you still have not been vaccinated for COVID-19, do you feel threatened or protected by this new ordinance that restricts the mobility of the unvaccinated? Do you believe that the new ordinance was composed to be fair and just? If you run a business there in Parañaque, what is the worst thing that could happen to your business under the new ordinance? If you are a voter in the city, how will this development affect your selection of candidates in the May 2022 local elections?

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

+++++

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: Around 100 million vaccine doses in stock for the entire Philippines according to Galvez

Recently vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr., stated that the Philippines has more or less one hundred million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in stock, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. What is clearly lacking, however, is the specific brands for the current vaccine stockpile.

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

More or less 100 million doses of vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are still in the government’s stockpile and will be used to vaccinate some 28 million to 30 million Filipinos who remain unvaccinated.

Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr., vaccine czar and chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said the remaining doses are also enough for the booster shots of 25 million Filipinos.

“Mayroon po tayong babakunahan pa na primary series o ‘yung unang bakuna sa 28-30 million na katao (We have 28 to 30 million people who are on our primary list or those who are yet to receive the vaccines,” said Galvez.

“Though ‘yung 100 million doses na nasa stockpile po natin ay sapat sa remaining primary series ng unvaccinated at para sa 25 million na eligible ngayong quarter for boosters (The 100 million doses in our stockpile are enough for the remaining primary series of unvaccinated and for the 25 million who are eligible for booster this (first) quarter),” he added.

As of January 10, a total of 114,263,805 vaccine doses have been administered nationwide. Of this number, 52,856,932 individuals are already fully vaccinated.

The vaccination and booster shots that are being eyed to be completed with the first quarter of this year (January to March) is part of the first milestone of the NTF Against COVID-19.

Galvez said they are also eyeing the completion of its target of vaccinating 90 million by the end of the second quarter.

As seen in the above article, there was no breakdown as to what brands of vaccines are part of the current national supply. As it is believed that the Omicron variant is the cause behind the current COVID-19 surge around the country, the national authorities as well as the local government units (LGUs) should seriously consider acquiring a lot more Sputnik vaccines (for more on Sputnik vaccines effectiveness against Omicron variant, click here and here) to really help entire nation. It’s high time for the Philippines to negotiate with their Russian counterparts for more Sputnik vaccines. Take note that the nation of Tunisia approved the use of the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine as their universal booster.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you think that the current supply of COVID-19 vaccines for the entire Philippines will be fully used by the end of June 2022? Are you very conscious about what brands of vaccines the government keeps on ordering and receiving? Are there people in your local community who remain unvaccinated because of phobia towards vaccines or needles?

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

+++++

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/