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This Week in Metro Manila (July 3 to 9, 2021)

Travel bans to seven countries are extended!

By: Denisse Shawntel Tan | July 03, 2021
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Metro Manila, COVID-19, COVID-19 Vaccine, travel, health, quarantine, transportation, lockdown news, health news

As more residents are getting vaccinated, heightened measures are being enforced by national and local governments, starting with extending the quarantine status in areas under the NCR Plus Bubble.

With the threat of the Delta variant of COVID-19, travel bans to India and six other countries are extended. In addition, the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) reassures the public that vaccines are effective against new variants. Lastly, Taguig City starts midnight vaccination to speed up injection in the area.


Lockdown News


NCR Plus remains under GCQ until July 15

In a recorded press conference last June 28, President Rodrigo Duterte extended NCR Plus bubble lockdown status to July 15. With this, Metro Manila, Rizal, and Bulacan will remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) [1]. Aside from these mentioned areas, other areas that will be in GCQ until July 15 are the following:

• Batangas
• Baguio City
• Cotabato
• General Santos City
• Ilagan City
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quezon
• Quirino
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sarangani
• South Cotabato

However, the Davao region (Davao Oriental and Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao del Norte) will be under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). The following areas will also be in MECQ:

• Apayao
• Bataan
• Butuan City
• Cagayan de Oro
• Davao City
• Iloilo
• Iloilo City
• Damagat Islands
• Puerto Princesa
• Lucena City
• Surigao del Sur
• Zamboanga del Norte

Areas not mentioned are under modified GCQ.



Transportation News


Fuel discounts offered to vaccinated motorists

A major fuel company is now offering incentives to vaccinated motorists. Caltex Philippines now gives discounts to individuals who can present their vaccination cards. In addition to the vaccination card, drivers must also present a valid ID to prove their identity.

The discount will cover PhP2.00 per liter on diesel with Techron D. PhP3.00 per liter is offered in platinum and silver with Techron. The discount will be available in select Caltex stations until July 18. However, transactions per day are limited to two transactions only with a limit of 60 liters. In addition, the discount can’t be combined with rewards programs and existing promos offered by the gas station [2].


Travel Updates


The travel ban to India is extended due to the Delta variant until July 15.

Due to the threat of the Delta variant of COVID-19, the Philippines extended the travel ban on India and six other countries. The travel ban covers India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, and Oman [3].

Despite the travel ban, outbound travelers like overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are still allowed to go to the said countries, but Malacañang mentioned that OFWs must be extra careful.

The government’s travel ban is a preventive measure due to the Delta variant—which is 60 % more infectious than the Alpha variant. As of June 29, the Philippines have 17 cases of the Delta variant.



Health News


Available COVID-19 vaccines effective against variants

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reassures the public that COVID-19 vaccines are effective against various virus variants, including Delta [4].

Currently, the country uses four vaccine brands: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sinovac, and Sputnik V. Among these brands, DFA Director-General Eric Domingo said that AstraZeneca and Pfizers are found effective against new variants based on data from the United Kingdom, where the new variants are prominent.

In addition, AstraZeneca has a 60% efficacy rate against the Delta variant and a 66% efficacy rate against the Alpha variant. For Pfizer, studies found that the vaccine has 93% efficacy against the Alpha variant and 88% against the Delta variant.

As for the remaining brands, ongoing studies have yet to determine their efficacy.

Midnight vaccination starts in Taguig.

Taguig City starts its 24-operations in vaccination hubs to accommodate more residents. The vaccination hub will cover those under the A4 priority group, economic frontliners, and government workers [5].

Since the schedule will go beyond curfew hours, residents are reassured that they would not be apprehended as long as they show their appointment slips to enforcers. Before going to the vaccination sites, residents must set appointments via Taguig Registry for Access and Citizen Engagement (TRACE). Those who do not have quick access to the internet can use kiosks set up in villages and selected malls.


Visit Yoorekka Consumer Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Metro Manila!


All details and information in this article are true and accurate as of the publication date. However, while we are making our utmost effort to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the condition surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be unpredictable, and the situation develops rapidly. Hence, some information and recommendations may have changed since this article was published. For the latest advice, visit DOH and your LGU's official websites.



Sources:
[1] https://bit.ly/3hrNrew
[2] https://bit.ly/2V0qrMp
[3] https://bit.ly/3qBG0FK
[4] https://bit.ly/3xaDrx2
[5] https://bit.ly/3h8gtkr


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About Denisse Shawntel Tan
Denisse Tan is currently a work in progress: she’s an aspiring writer, artist, and fashion designer! She’s trying to figure out how to manage her time in achieving all of her goals while also taking in life as humanly possible. Aside from art, she’s a big fan of the color pink, disco music, Bratz dolls, and Genshin Impact. By age 35, she plans to travel to New York City 🗽.
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Disclaimer: All articles in the Consumers Magazine of Yoorekka are for general information and entertainment purposes only. Although careful research has been made in writing them, Yoorekka does not make any warranty about the completeness and accuracy of all information presented in our articles. Our content is not intended to be used in place of legal, medical, or any professional advice.
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