MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported the detection of additional variant cases in samples from COVID-positive patients. DOH said an additional 266 B117 variant cases, 351 B.1.351 variant cases, and 25 P.3 variant cases were found by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National…
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will be placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ) from February 1 to 15, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong confirmed on Tuesday. Magalong, as the government’s contract tracing czar for the coronavirus crisis, said the region will be downgraded from its current Modified GCQ or MGCQ status, the government’s lightest…
THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday confirmed a local transmission of the B.1.1.7 variant of the COVID-19 virus from the United Kingdom (UK) in Bontoc, Mt. Province after 12 cases of the new variant was detected in the province. In a “narrative” released by the DOH, it said the 12 cases are enough proof of…
The Philippines will continue to receive COVID-19 vaccine allocation for 20 percent of the population through the COVAX Facility, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday. “We would like to clarify that we will continue to receive vaccine allocation for 20 percent of the population from COVAX,” the Health department and the National Task Force…
MANILA, Philippines — A health official has warned that the polio outbreak in the country has yet to be placed under control, while a major measles outbreak is imminent without a massive immunization campaign. “[This year] is very critical because of the accumulation of susceptibles. It is highly possible that we will experience a very…
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos now have a choice to get accurately tested for the new coronavirus without fear of having to endure nasopharyngeal swab tests after the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Monday formally launched its saliva polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Michael Tee, lead researcher for the saliva test, said the new procedure was…
MANILA, Philippines — Thanks to unprecedented vaccine development, countries have already started implementing immunization programs to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines, meanwhile, lags behind in authorizing and procuring vaccines. This essentially buys Filipinos time to debate the merits and faults of different jab options Here’s a simple, health-specific guide to COVID-19 vaccines that the…
MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila laboratories of the Philippine Red Cross can process 8,000 saliva samples for COVID-19 tests daily, which could increase almost fourfold when PRC provincial hubs are mobilized. PRC biomolecular laboratories chief Paulyn Ubial yesterday said the Red Cross would be able to process 30,000 saliva tests for the coronavirus on a…
Identify the bad or unhealthy habits in your life that you want to change. Hold yourself accountable for making those changes. Remove the negative triggers in your life. Believe that you can change. Know that it will take time and you might have setbacks.