IMEE: BRACE FOR A NO-HERD-IMMUNITY SCENARIO

Senator Imee Marcos said the country should prepare for a worst-case scenario wherein herd immunity could no longer be attained.

"Herd immunity remains theoretical and has become a moving target. Last year it was 70% of the population, today it's 90%, but tomorrow it may well be out of range," Marcos said.

"With booster shots already in high demand, even as first doses have yet to reach populations in less developed countries, will vaccine manufacturers be able to provide?" Marcos asked.

Besides precarious global vaccine supply, Marcos added that breakthrough infections among the vaccinated, the emergence of more variants, the uncertain length of vaccine efficacy, and the possible reduction of healthcare capacities due to hospital shutdowns and worker protests are also among the factors that make attaining herd immunity seem unlikely.

"I'd rather be the bearer of bad news than of false hope. The fact is, pandemic control worldwide has become a Sisyphean struggle," Marcos added, alluding to the Greek myth of the king whose eternal punishment for holding Death hostage was to keep pushing a boulder uphill without ever reaching the top.

Adding to the anxiety, Marcos said, is the lifting of immigration bans on 10 countries, which takes effect today after being recommended to the President by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Travelers from Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will now be allowed entry to the Philippines, subject to testing and quarantine protocols.

Despite the precautions in place, Marcos contends that the Philippines' low vaccination rate of 13% of its population makes the IATF's recommendation "reckless, if premature."

Marcos cited that the United States, which has vaccinated about 54% of its population, still restricts entry to non-immigrant travelers from India and lists Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, and the UAE as 'Very High Risk' countries, while Indonesia, Oman, and Sri Lanka are considered 'High Risk'.

The United Kingdom, which has fully vaccinated about 65% of its population, puts Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand on its 'Red List'.

"While we pray for a miracle and a cure, we must support healthcare capacities by paying government debts to hospitals and healthcare workers ASAP, conclude our own clinical trials for repurposed drugs like Ivermectin, include booster shots in the 2022 national budget and increase funding for the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine while a virology institute is yet to be built to develop Philippine-made vaccines," Marcos said.

"On a personal level, let's observe an immunity-boosting lifestyle regimen of getting adequate sleep, keeping hydrated, exercising regularly, quitting cigarettes and alcohol, taking Vitamin C and zinc, and making natural health food like malunggay and virgin coconut oil part of our diet," Marcos added.

IMEE: SENARYONG KAWALAN NG HERD IMMUNITY, PAGHANDAAN

Nagbabala at pinaghahanda ni Senador Imee Marcos ang Pilipinas sa mas matinding senaryo na hindi na makakamit ang target na herd immunity.

"Mananatiling teyorya ang herd immunity na 'moving target' sa ngayon. Nitong nagdaang taon, target natin ang nasa 70% ng populasyon, ngayon 90% na, pero bukas maaaring lampas na sa kakayanan natin," pangamba ni Marcos.

"Sa harap ng mataas nang demand o pangangailangan ng mga booster shot, maging ang unang dose pa lang ay hindi pa nakakarating sa populasyon ng mga 'less developed countries, kayanin pa kaya ng mga manufacturers na makapagbigay ng bakuna?" tanong ni Marcos.

Bukod sa kawalang katiyakang supply sa buong mundo, dagdag ni Marcos, ang ma-impeksyon ang mga nabakunahan na, ang pagsulpot ng mas marami pang Covid-19 variant, ang kawalang katiyakan kung gaano katagal magiging epektibo ang mga bakuna, at ang posibleng pagbaba ng kapasidad ng healthcare dahil sa pagsasara ng mga ospital at protesta ng mga mangggawa ay mga dahilan kaya malabo pang maabot ang herd immunity.

"Mas maiging maghatid na lang ako ng masamang balita kaysa magbigay ng maling pag-asa o magpaasa. Sa katotohanan, ang pagkontrol sa pandemya ay naging Sisyphean struggle," dagdag pa ni Marcos, na tumutukoy sa Greek myth o alamat ng hari na ang habang buhay na kaparusahan para mapigilang mamatay ay ang paulit-ulit na pagpapagulong ng malaking bato paakyat sa burol ngunit hindi maabot-abot ang pinakatuktok.

Nakadagdag pa sa nakababahala, ani Marcos, ay ang pagtatanggal ng travel ban sa sampung bansa, na epektibo na ngayong araw matapos irekomenda sa Pangulo ng Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Ibig sabihin, ang mga biyahero mula sa Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, at United Arab Emirates (UAE) ay pwede nang makapasok sa ating bansa kaakibat ang kanilang pagsailalim sa testing at quarantine protocols.

Sa kabila ng mga pag-iingat, iginiit ni Marcos na sa harap ng 13% pa lang ng populasyon ng bansa o kaunti pa lang ang nababakunahan, hindi maingat o premature ang rekomendasyon ng IATF.

Paliwanag ni Marcos, ang Estados Unidos na nasa 54% na ang mga nabakunahan, ay nananatiling istrikto sa pagpapapasok sa mga non-immigrant traveler mula sa India at inilista ang Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, at UAE bilang 'Very High Risk' countries, habang ang Indonesia, Oman, at Sri Lanka naman ay ikinokonsiderang 'High Risk'.

Maging ang United Kingdom na fully vaccinated na ang 65% ng kanilang populasyon, inilagay pa rin nito sa 'Red List' ang Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, at Thailand.

"Habang nagdarasal tayo para sa milagro at kagalingan, kailangang suportahan natin ang healthcare capacities ng ating bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagbabayad ng utang sa mga ospital at mga healthcare workers ASAP, desisyunan na ang ating sariling mga 'clinical trial' para sa mga 'repurposed drugs' na tulad ng Ivermectin, isama na ang booster shot sa 2022 national budget, at lakihan ang pondo para sa Research Institute for Tropical Medicine habang hindi pa naitatayo ang isang virology institute para makagawa ng sariling bakuna ang Pilipinas," diin ni Marcos.

"At sa ating mga sarili naman, palakasin natin ang ating immune system sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng sapat na tulog, maging palainom ng tubig, regular na mag-ehersisyo, huwag nang manigarilyo at uminom ng alak, uminom ng Vitamin C at zinc, at gawing bahagi na ng ating diet o pagkain ang malunggay at virgin coconut oil," payo pa ni Marcos.