Category: Health
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P9 billion released for health workers’ risk allowance
With just days to go before the expiration of the Bayanihan 1 pandemic aid law, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of P9.02 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) to cover the special risk allowance or SRA of health workers exposed to COVID. Yesterday, the DBM said it handed…
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Are officials profiting from sale of shields?
Senators have raised the possibility that some government officials may be profiting from the sale of face shields, noting that health authorities have yet to present solid scientific basis for their mandatory use. The lawmakers cited past instances during which vital equipment, testing kits and other supplies for COVID-19 response were found to be overpriced,…
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Third vaccine dose still not recommended
Despite the detection of Delta and other variants of concern in the country, a vaccine expert has advised against getting a third dose of the anti-COVID vaccine, at least for now. In an interview on Monday night with “The Chiefs” on One News, adult infectious diseases specialist and Vaccine Expert Panel member Dr. Rontgene Solante…
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Delta COVID-19 variant very dangerous
A member of the Department of Health’s Technical Advisory Group said there is a need to keep out the Delta coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variant as it is very dangerous. “We need to keep out the Delta variant which is very dangerous,” Dr. Edsel Salvana said in a meeting with President Duterte Monday, June 21. “This…
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Duterte to arrest who refuse COVID-19 vaccines
President Rodrigo Duterte threatened anew those who refuse to be vaccinated, this time to put them behind jail. In his public address Monday night, Duterte noted that the country is currently in a public health crisis and national emergency. “Kung ayaw mo magpabakuna, ipaaresto kita. At ang bakuna ay galing—itusok ko sa puwet mo. (If…
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PH taps Israeli medical experts to boost COVID-19 response
Three medical experts from Israel’s Ministry of Health arrived in the Philippines on Sunday afternoon, June 20, to support the Philippines in its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response. Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., vaccine czar and chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, welcomed Dr. Avraham Ben-Zaken, Dr. Adam Segal, and Dr. Dafna…
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COVID-19 deaths in the Philippines cross 20,000
Local health authorities on Tuesday recorded 3,972 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 1,188,672. Active cases: 48,201 or 4.1% of the total Recoveries: 4,659, pushing total to 1,120,452 Deaths: 36, bringing total to 20,019 What’s new today? Coronavirus deaths in the country crossed the 20,000-mark over a year, or exactly 478 days, after the first death…
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Singapore approves COVID breath test
A BREATH test designed to detect coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and give accurate results within a minute has been approved for use in Singapore, the National University of Singapore said in a statement. The test, developed by NUS spin-off startup Breathonix, works much like a standard breathalyzer test that police might use to see if…
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Gov’t urged to place Negros Oriental under ECQ
Physicians from Negros Oriental are urging the national government to place the province under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the high number of active coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. “The past few weeks [have] been overwhelming for those of us in the healthcare sector in Negros Oriental. We have reported highs in positive cases on…
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COVID-19 cases down in Metro Manila but rising in Visayas
There is a “marked decline’’ in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila and Central Luzon but an uptick in cases is being monitored in the Visayas and Mindanao, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday. “We need to closely monitor Visayas and Mindanao since this is where we’re seeing an increase in cases. It’s not…