MANILA (UCAN): Dominican Father Nicanor Austriaco, a molecular biologist, warned Philippine health officials not to relax quarantine restrictions or risk a new Covid-19 coronavirus [SARS-CoV-2] wave brought about by the fast-spreading Delta variant, which was first identified in India, and spreads much faster than other other strains.
While several cases have been recorded among returning Filipinos, it has yet to gain a foothold in the country.
“This is not yet the time to relax restrictions, especially in Manila, despite the millions of vaccines administered each day,” Father Austriaco told ABS-CBN in an interview on July 14.
He cautioned that a plateau in Covid-19 infections did not mean that vaccines were controlling the virus.
An average of 634 new Covid-19 cases was being recorded in Manila each day from July 6 to 12, slightly down on the daily average of 646 infections in June.
“All measures and quarantine restrictions must be kept in place … We do not want to take the risk of increasing mobility and entry of the Delta variant,” Father Austriaco said.
The Delta variant of Covid-19 has been reported in 96 countries and is particularly dominant in Indonesia, killing thousands.
‘We can see from the reports of Indonesian health authorities that there is an increase in the mortality rate because of the Delta variant, because it also spreads faster. So, with a population of more than 100 million like the Philippines, with less than five per cent of the people fully vaccinated, it is really dangerous’
Father Nicanor Austriaco
On July 14, Philippine authorities banned travellers from Indonesia to prevent the spread of the highly contagious variant. Health authorities said on July 15 that anyone who had recently been to Indonesia will be quarantined for 14 days.
“We can see from the reports of Indonesian health authorities that there is an increase in the mortality rate because of the Delta variant, because it also spreads faster. So, with a population of more than 100 million like the Philippines, with less than five per cent of the people fully vaccinated, it is really dangerous,” Father Austriaco said.
He said increased social mixing and mobility are factors in spreading any virus.
“That is why Philippine health authorities should factor in not relaxing health protocols and social measures,” he said.
“Despite having full vaccinations, still avoid crowded places, keep your distance from others, make sure that if you are indoors you are in a room that has good ventilation,” Father Austriaco added.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
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Carlito Galvez, the vaccine czar of Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, said the government was ramping up efforts to ward off the Delta variant.
“Yes, we are aware of the high transmission rate of the new strain … that is why we have sped up our vaccination rate while maintaining strict health protocols,” Galvez told reporters on July 14.
