Cagayan de Oro mayor opposes stricter border controls

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno opposes stricter border controls as a response to the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1, emphasizing that such measures are ineffective and could harm the economy.

Mayor Moreno stated that past experiences have shown that strict border controls do not effectively solve the spread of COVID-19 unless the situation is much more severe.

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the local transmission of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 on May 17, with cases identified in Metro Manila, Western Visayas, and Puerto Princesa City.

The DOH believes the BA.2.12.1 subvariant is highly transmissible due to its additional mutations compared to the original Omicron strain.

Mayor Moreno advocates for COVID-19 vaccination and strict adherence to minimum public health standards as the most effective strategies against the Omicron subvariant.

He stressed that vaccination is undoubtedly the key to protection against the virus.

Cagayan de Oro City has maintained a policy of not resorting to lockdowns unless advised by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

As of Wednesday, the city has fully vaccinated 552,182 individuals, achieving 92 percent coverage of its target population.