The World Health Organization publicly declared the coronavirus outbreak had reached pandemic proportions in March 2019, signaling the start of the lockdowns that would define life in the Philippines and abroad. Since the country’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on January 30, 2020, it has continued to proclaim health emergencies, disburse funds, and cope with any additional outbreaks. Now, the Philippine government has recorded its first cases of the new Omicron variant in the Philippines. 

What Is The Omicron Variant?

This new iteration of the coronavirus, first found in Botswana and South Africa in November, has raised concerns among scientists and public health officials due to an abnormally high number of mutations that make it more transmissible and less responsive to existing vaccines.

Despite what officials described as a slew of uncertainty, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized Omicron as a “variant of concern.” It cautioned that the global risks presented by it were “extremely high.” According to WHO, the variation has been detected in more than 60 countries on every continent except Antarctica.

According to Bloomberg, persons infected with the Omicron variant exhibit symptoms comparable to the flu — weariness, headaches, and body pains — whereas those infected with the Delta variant have low oxygen levels, high pulse rates, and a loss of smell and taste.

Officials have since detected the variant in various countries, and now, it includes the Philippines. 

On First Cases of the Omicron Variant in the Philippines

The country has already detected two cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the Philippines — the first is a returning overseas Filipino, and the other is a Nigerian national. 

The first patient is a Filipino returning from an overseas trip in Japan last December 1, while the other case involves a Nigerian national who arrived from Nigeria last November 30.

“One is a Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF) who arrived from Japan on December 1, 2021, via Philippine Airlines flight number PR 0427. The sample was collected on December 5, 2021. His positive result was released on December 7, and the case was admitted to an isolation facility on the same date. He is currently asymptomatic but had symptoms of colds and cough upon arrival,” the Department of Health (DOH) said.

“The other case is a Nigerian national who arrived from Nigeria on November 30, 2021, via Oman Air with flight number WY 843. A sample was collected on December 6, 2021, and the result was released on December 7, 2021. He was then admitted to an isolation facility on the same date. His current status is also asymptomatic,” it added.

The DOH said that the patients are currently isolated in a facility managed by the Bureau of Quarantine.

On IATF’s ‘red list’ countries to halt Omicron variant spread in PH

Malacanang said on Wednesday, December 15, that the Philippines would ban travelers from eight countries from December 16 to 31, to stop the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the Philippines.

The eight “high-risk” countries are the following:

  • Andorra
  • France
  • Monaco
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Reunion
  • San Marino
  • South Africa
  • Switzerland

This decision was made following a meeting by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Tuesday. 

The travel ban applies to everyone who has spent the previous 14 days in “high-risk” zones, regardless of vaccination status. Only Filipinos who have been repatriated by the Philippine government are authorized to enter the Philippines from these areas.

“To all those who plan to come home during the holidays, we humbly request your patience as we in the IATF continue to make modifications to our protocols. These are all being done in response to evolving situations in the world,” Acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said. 

On Mitigation of the Omicron Variant in the Philippines

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), while it is feasible to make some predictions about the impact of mutations in this variant, the full significance remains unknown, and vaccinations remain the most important tool for preventing severe disease.

The good news is that diagnostic and disease surveillance labs should be able to detect this variant using a specific sort of PCR test before whole-genome sequencing, making it easier to track and understand its spread. It should also mean that countries will have a better notion of how serious of a threat it poses sooner, allowing the Philippine government to ramp up their containment efforts if necessary.

Meanwhile, DOH urged the public to follow minimum public standards such as properly wearing face masks, washing hands often with soap and water or alcohol, maintaining physical distancing, ensuring sufficient ventilation, and avoiding crowded areas.

We at Pilipinas Popcorn believe that the world is one connected community, and the Philippines is part of that whole. This caught us off guard, but we’ve been here for you every step of the way. Find more resources about the Omicron variant in the Philippines here.

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