Amid the pandemic — the Philippine government announced, it is extending Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila, Cavite, Baguio City, and 80 other areas until the end of January.
This is effective Friday, January 14, or Sunday, January 16, depending on the locality.
The new alert status was announced by Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Friday, during a press briefing amid the rising cases of the Omicron Variant.
All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, change over time. Most changes have little to no impact on the virus’ properties. However, some changes may affect the virus’s properties, such as how easily it spreads, the associated disease severity, or the performance of vaccines, therapeutic medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures.
WHO, in collaboration with partners, expert networks, national authorities, institutions, and researchers has been monitoring and assessing the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 since January 2020. During late 2020, the emergence of variants that posed an increased risk to global public health prompted the characterization of specific Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of Concern (VOCs), and VUMs (variants under monitoring) to prioritize global monitoring and research, and ultimately to inform the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
VOCs are SARS-CoV-2 variants that meet the definition of a VOI and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance:
- Increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology; OR
- Increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation; OR
- Decrease in the effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics
To date, the following are currently designated as variants of concern (VOCs):
New COVID-19 Variants
Omicron
Also referred to as B.1.1.529 first identified in South Africa. As of to date, Omicron is the variant known to spread more easily than other variants, including Delta. and has pushed WHO to enhance readiness for public measures. The rapid growth rate in Omicron infections is believed to result from a combination of increased transmissibility and the ability to evade immunity conferred by past infection or vaccination (i.e., immune evasion). Data from laboratory experiments and epidemiologic investigations suggest a greater role for immune evasion than increased transmissibility; immunity conferred by prior infection or vaccination is likely to be reduced compared with Delta but not completely overcome.
Data also show that vaccinated people who either receive a booster dose or who were also previously infected are likely to have stronger protection against Omicron. Due to the small number of cases, the current severity of illness and death associated with this variant is unclear. Breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are expected, but vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Early evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people who become infected with the Omicron variant can spread the virus to others. All FDA-approved or authorized vaccines are expected to be effective against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. The recent emergence of the Omicron variant further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters.
Some monoclonal antibody treatments may not be as effective against infection with Omicron.
Delta
Also referred to as B1.617.2 first identified in India in late 2020. Characteristics of the variant include: may spread easily compared to other variants and may cause severe illnesses than other variants. Breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are expected, but vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Early evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people who become infected with the Delta variant can spread the virus to others. All FDA-approved or authorized vaccines are effective against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
Alpha
Also referred to as B.1.1.7 initially found in the United Kingdom at the onset of the pandemic, early Sep 2020.
Beta
Also referred to as B.1.351 initially found in South Africa, May 2020
Gamma
Also referred to as P.1 initially found in Brazil, November 2020
Variants of Interest (VOCs)
VOIs are variants with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape; AND Identified to cause significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside the increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.
Currently, the following are designated as variants of interest (VOIs):
- Lambda - initially discovered in Peru in 2020
- Mu - was initially discovered in Columbia, in January 2021
Variants Under Monitoring
VUMs are SARS-CoV-2 variants with genetic changes that are suspected to affect virus characteristics with some indication that it may pose a future risk, but evidence of phenotypic or epidemiological impact is currently unclear, requiring enhanced monitoring and repeat assessment pending new evidence.
Note: It is expected that our understanding of the impacts of these variants may fast evolve, and designated Variants under Monitoring may be readily added/removed; therefore, WHO labels will not be assigned at this time. Former VOIs/VOCs may, however, be monitored for an extended period under this category, and will maintain their assigned WHO label until further notice.
Currently, the following are designated as variants of monitoring (VUMs):
- B.1.1.318 - discovered across multiple countries in Jun 2021
- C.1.2 - discovered in South Africa around May 2021
- B.1.640 - discovered in Multiple countries Sep 2021
As the economy slowly opens and as the country now begins accepting tourists, no household is deemed safe and is urged to still follow minimum public health standards. This applies to all establishments including those that are in a condo living set up in the metro up to even those that are in the provinces.
The community transmission of the omicron variant is characterized by a steep rise in cases, Vergeire said, adding that infections may peak from the end of this month to mid-February mostly affecting the National Capital Region with an urban sprawl of 16 cities home to more than 13 million people.
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