COVID: Omicron surge deals heavy blow to families in the Philippines

In the latest wave, many households are witnessing multiple family members contracting the virus at the same time.

Published : Jan 25, 2022 16:33 IST

Since the end of December, the Philippines has been experiencing a surge in new coronavirus cases.

Since the end of December, the Philippines has been experiencing a surge in new coronavirus cases.

The Philippines is struggling to manage soaring COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant, underscoring what many say is the government's laggard approach to the pandemic. The country posted record high numbers of coronavirus infections this month, with total cases going above the 3 million mark. The positivity rate surged to nearly 50 per cent, meaning that about half of those who took tests had COVID-19.

In response, the government slapped restrictions on public movement and gatherings in the capital Manila, banning in-person classes and reducing the capacity for most indoor commercial establishments. It also approved administering vaccines to those aged between 12 and 17, and shortened the time gap between the second and booster shots to three months.

Authorities, however, said that they would limit testing to vulnerable sections of the population and deprioritize contact tracing. Maria Rosario Vergerie, the undersecretary for health, said during a press briefing that the Health Ministry would not prioritize contact tracing because of the "very high likelihood" that every Filipino household now had at least one member who contracted COVID.

A surge in new COVID cases

In November, the government mobilized security forces and thousands of volunteers in an ambitious vaccination drive to inoculate around 9 million people. The move was meant to boost vaccination rates and insulate the country from future outbreaks. The number of newly recorded infections dropped to less than 500 per day in December and businesses slowly began to reopen.

Nevertheless, just about 50 per cent of the population or over 56 million Filipinos have so far received two COVID shots, which left the country vulnerable to the highly infectious omicron variant, which was first detected in southern Africa in late November. Since the end of December, the country has been experiencing a surge in new coronavirus cases. So far, the Philippines has recorded more than 3.35 million infections and over 53,000 deaths.

Hoping for a reprieve from pandemic

The latest wave has hit many Filipino families hard, with households witnessing multiple family members contracting the virus at the same time. Women especially are having a tough time. Sheila Conde recently contracted COVID-19, as did her husband and two young children. Both Conde and her husband are double vaccinated, but their children haven't been inoculated. Conde took her 10-year-old son, who was suffering from high fever, to five different hospitals but all were full.

The pandemic already destabilized her husband's work as a delivery driver, leaving her as the main breadwinner. "When my husband contracted COVID, he could not work at all," Conde said. "We're not sure if he will be compensated for the days that he was sick and in quarantine. This pandemic has just been punishing. When will it end?"

Edith Roberto, a bank executive, contracted coronavirus twice despite being fully vaccinated. This bout of COVID left her struggling with more severe symptoms. She also had to take care of her two daughters, who also contracted the virus. Roberto said she was frustrated by the inaccessibility of testing facilities and the rising prices of COVID tests in overbooked private facilities.

She pointed out that a PCR test in these places currently costs about 3,000 pesos ($60, €53), while the cost of antigen test kits rose from 9,000 pesos to 11,000 pesos in a matter of days. "You can get these tests for free from government facilities, but it will take time and with omicron spreading like wildfire, you can't wait if you suspect you have it and may infect others, especially if you have vulnerable family members," Roberto told DW . Roberto said she's most concerned about the impact the pandemic is having on children and young people. With schools closed and online learning, she's worried "if they are learning anything worthwhile."

Her 21-year-old daughter, Nina, feels "terrible" about the current situation. "I am sad about missing out on the experiences of growing up. I haven't been able to enjoy partying with friends and miss my freedom. I also miss my friends terribly," the college student said.

Health care sector badly affected

Meanwhile, authorities are trying to ensure that there's no shortage of health care staff as many medical personnel have been infected by the virus, forcing them into isolation. They have shortened the quarantine period for health workers who test positive but are vaccinated and asymptomatic. "The priority is to protect the viability of the health care facilities to care for admissible COVID and non-COVID cases," physician and infectious diseases expert Gene Solante told DW .

But Maristela Abenojar, chairperson of the Filipino Nurses United (FNU) labor union, compared the shortening of the quarantine period for health workers to "crossing a live wire." "Aren't these COVID policies indicators that the government has surrendered to the virus? This is unfair to nurses who have to deal with heavy patient load, increased patient admissions and chronic understaffing," Abenojar told DW .

Although most cases are mild or asymptomatic, the utilization rate of intensive care units (ICU) in the Philippine capital of Manila currently stands at 48 per cent, compared to the previous month's 28 per cent. Abenojar called for the health department to increase the capacity of the health care system and prioritze testing and contact tracing over lowering health standards and protocols. According to FNU records, an estimated 30,000 health workers have been infected by COVID-19 so far and more than 100 have died.

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