Alert levels should be kept while the country transitions from a COVID-19 pandemic to an endemic state, said Dr. Minguita Padilla, the Partido Reporma senatorial candidate.
Padilla, a health advocate, also said alert levels should be imposed depending on the location and the percentage of the vaccinated population.
“You cannot do Alert Level 1 in places that have been hit by (typhoon) ‘Odette,’ where residents have not yet been vaccinated,” she said.
She said 35 percent vaccination level is not acceptable for Alert Level 1.
“So, we cannot do it for the entire nation. We still have to decide depending on the vaccination rate,” the ophthalmologist noted.
“But I still believe for campaign areas, for example, where people gather, only the fully vaccinated should be allowed to enter the campaign venue just to be safe.”
Those allowed entry, she said, should still wear their masks, “at least until we’re totally out of the pandemic.”
With increased vaccination rates and reduced cases of COVID-19 infections leading to hospitalizations, she also agrees with the plan of the national government to push for a pandemic exit soon.
Padilla announced this position but kept a prudent mindset, considering there are still some Filipinos who have yet to be fully vaccinated and boosted, notably in areas with logistical problems in terms of vaccine delivery and distribution.
“I agree that we should start thinking already of a pandemic exit plan. We cannot live in this fear of pandemic mode forever and let our industries languish. We cannot live without face-to-face classes, it’s not fair to the kids,” Padilla said.
Citing peer-reviewed international studies, the longtime public health advocate is convinced that COVID-19 particularly its Omicron variant is less virulent despite its higher transmissibility, making it safe for the vaccinated people to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about their lives getting back to normal.
The first-time senatorial aspirant echoed the stance of Partido Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson that public health policies must always be designed based on science and backed by accurate data.
She also renewed her appeal to vaccine-hesitant people, especially those in positions of power and influence, to refrain from spreading fake news about COVID-19 vaccines that might put off the general public to take it.
Padilla emphasized that the depoliticization of the vaccination program as well as the absence of corruption in the widespread and coordinated COVID-19 response measures among the local and national government leaders are the keys towards a faster pandemic recovery.
