Says entry of more aggressive Delta variant should be a “cause for serious alarm” for the public

(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to be stricter in ensuring that minimum health protocols are followed by the public to “fight the threat of the Delta variant.”
Duterte also raised the possibility of imposing more restrictions, including restrictions on gatherings and a lockdown if the existing infrastructure being implemented by the government against COVID-19 is not enough to control the Delta variant.
In his “Talk to the People” on Monday night, July 19, the President explained the need to reimpose stricter protocols in the country to prevent super-spreader events. This was because of the entry of the highly infectious and dangerous Delta variant that had already caused a surge in cases and deaths in neighboring ASEAN countries.
“I urge the DILG and the PNP to implement the existing protocols with greater urgency and necessity. It is only by imposing these restrictions that we can fight the threat of Delta variant,” he said.
“We may need to reimpose stricter restrictions to avoid mass gathering and prevent superspreader events,” he said in his “Talk to the People” on Monday night, July 19.
Duterte said that the public should cooperate and follow minimum health protocols to prevent further loss of lives due to the Delta variant.
“Now, remember that the reason why the security forces of the government are very strict is not because they want to be strict and they want to make it hard for the people move rather they are strict because they want to protect the country from a very contagious disease and maybe cause more deaths more than the lives that we lost in the past,” he said.
He noted that the Delta variant is more aggressive and fatal than other variants, and could infect up to eight people, thus the need to be extra strict in implementing currect protocols.
“The reported local cases in the country is a cause for serious alarm and concern. Again, it’s redundant but still it is good as — it’s good as any warning that can be given to the people,” Duterte said.
The country has reported 16 new Delta variant cases, including 11 local cases. Eight of these are still active upon re-testing.
The Department of Health said that the restrictions on incoming travelers and the strict 14-day quarantine had largely prevented the entry into the country of more Delta variant cases.
-Neighboring ASEAN countries experiencing surge-
The President observed that other countries where the Delta variant has entered, including the Philippines’ neighboring countries, are experiencing a surge in cases and even deaths. To control the Delta variant, these countries imposed lockdown measures. Duterte said the Philippines might also do the same, but he hopes it would not come to this.
“Now, it is not only Indonesia, tinamaan ulit ang Korea at Taiwan. Sila ‘yung nag-lockdown kasi pumasok nga itong variant na Delta. I hope that our existing infrastructure in dealing with the problem of COVID19 can cope up,” he said.
He said that he hopes that the current batch of vaccines could deal with the Delta variant, but it is important to be prepared in case the country experiences a case surge once again.
“Depende kung the vaccine — the vaccines for COVID-19 can be as effective in dealing with the virus Delta. Pagka nandito na kung sakali man it will spread, I hope it will not, then we’ll have to go again to stricter measures. We are not the only one. And also tinamaan ng Delta is UK. Balik rin sila sa dati,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)