MANILA, January 26 ------ The omicron variant is now the predominant COVID-19 lineage in the Philippines, the Department of Health said Tuesday. The country has detected both of omicron's sub lineages, BA.1 and BA.2, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. "Maituturing na pong predominant variant ang omicron sa National Capital Region at sa iba pang bahagi ng ating bansa dahil sa tumataas nitong bilang ng naitatalang kaso same with the trends, characteristics of the omicron variant," she told reporters. "Mula sa dating 1.30 percent na nakuhang omicron samples nung Nobyembre, tumaas na po ito sa 98.9 percent ngayong Enero."
BA.1 is more common among returning Filipinos and cases in Bicol region, while BA.2 is more common in local cases in other regions, Vergeire said. "Walang nakitang significant difference sa clinical presentation and BA.1 and BA.2," she said. Virus cases, positivity rates, and healthcare utilization rates continue to rise in areas outside Metro Manila and neighboring provinces due to the highly transmissible omicron and delta variants, Vergeire added.
The public is reminded to observe minimum public health standards such as proper handwashing following a study that found omicron stays longer on plastic surfaces and human skin, according to Vergeire. "As long as you do your protective measures like you shower after you go home, change your clothes once you go out, tapos syempre lagi naghuhugas ng kamay, lagi nakamask," she said. "We don’t need to add some more to the fears we have right now but instead focus on what we can do...Maglinis, mag-disinfect palagi at lagi gagawin ang paghuhugas at protekta sa ating katawan by doing these hygienic measures."
The critical intervention is to "make sure our hands are clean, said pediatrician Dr. Anna Ong-Lim. "Kahit gaano pa katagal mabuhay yng virus sa isang surface, for so long as malinis ang kamay natin at di natin ikukuskos sa ilong, bibig at mata natin, wala siyang paraan para tumalon, para pumasok sa katawan natin," she said.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com