Davao City Covid-19 task force ready for new variants

Davao City's Covid-19 Task Force has stated that the city is prepared to handle any new Covid-19 variants, including the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 that has reportedly entered the country.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for the task force, assured the public that their strategies are in place to address a potential surge in cases.

Health officials confirmed that BA.2.12.1 has been detected in 14 individuals across the country, consisting of foreign tourists and residents from Metro Manila and Puerto Princesa City.

Schlosser acknowledged that despite border controls, preventing new variants from entering is challenging due to the asymptomatic nature of the virus and individuals hiding their symptoms.

Several public and private hospitals in Davao City, including the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), have sufficient capacity to care for Covid-19 patients, with SPMC alone having 87 ICU beds and 455 ward beds designated for Covid-19.

The city currently has only 14 active Covid-19 cases.

The task force is urging residents to get their booster shots, as vaccination turnout for boosters is below 20% of the fully vaccinated population.