Epidemiologist sees flattening COVID-19 growth rate in PH

An epidemiologist stated that the Philippines is beginning to see a flattening in the growth rate of coronavirus disease cases, with the case doubling time now at 4.6 days.

Dr. John Wong, an epidemiologist with the IATF-EID, observed that the National Capital Region, which has a high concentration of cases, shows an even more evident flattening trend.

The doubling time for COVID-19 mortalities has also slowed down significantly, indicating a more dramatic improvement in that metric.

Wong noted that it is difficult to predict the exact peak of COVID-19 cases and how many will be affected.

He believes the pandemic will only truly end with the development of a vaccine, a process he estimates could take 18 to 24 months in the most optimistic scenario.

Wong warned that even with current improvements, vigilance is necessary to prevent resurgences if quarantine measures are relaxed.