Over 30,000 Daily Cases In The Philippines May Be Possible If ECQ Skipped
COVID-19 DAILY CASES – According to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, the Philippines may see over 30,000 COVID-19 infections daily if an enhanced community quarantine is not implemented.
On August 6, 2021, Metro Manila is about to be placed under a stricter enhanced community quarantine. This would be the third time the province is placed under an ECQ.
Because of this, many citizens are complaining due to stricter protocols being implemented. Among these are checkpoints to city borders which had already caused massive traffic which many call “unnecessary”.
However, according to Nograles, the implementation of the new ECQ was necessary if the PH wanted to contain the new spread, especially with the presence of the Delta Variant.
Based on an article from Inquirer, Nograles stated:
If we do not do the ECQ, we might see the cases going beyond 30,000 per day. So importante yung ECQ to keep it at the lower limit
Meanwhile, Nograles stated that the lower limit they are foreseeing is around 18,000 daily cases. Moreover, he said that he hopes that among the 18,000 cases, most would not need hospitalization.
“What we want to do is delay the Delta variant from becoming the predominant variant so much so until we ramp up the vaccinations we need primarily para sa mga senior citizens, comorbidities, and everybody else“, he added.
Even with full vaccinations, the public is still urged to follow basic health protocols such as wearing a face shield and social distancing. This is due to the presence of the Delta Variant and its affinity to infect even those fully vaccinated.
According to Roy M. Gulick, chief of infectious disease at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York “Breakthrough infections are to be expected, even when you have highly effective vaccines“.
Furthermore, Anthony S. Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert said getting a full vaccination prevents severe disease leading to hospitalization and deaths.
READ ALSO: Metro Manila Residents Allowed To Go Outdoors During ECQ for Vaccine
