With a stricter lockdown set to begin tomorrow, Bulatlat is reposting our previous reports on how the gov’t cannot rely solely on lockdown to curb the spread of the more transmissible, more deadly Delta Variant of COVID-19.
Below are our links to our stories on the pandemic response and how the COVID-19 exacerbated:
‘Lockdowns alone can’t end pandemic’ – health advocates
For community health advocates, however, another lockdown without mass testing, intensified contact tracing, and provision of financial aid to those in need, will lead the country nowhere in curbing the spread of the virus.
As PH reverts to stricter lockdown, workers push for cash aid
A progressive labor group is raising concerns over the lack of cash aid for those affected by the scheduled reverting to stricter mobility restrictions on Friday as prices of liquefied petroleum gas and food continue to soar.
Duterte’s #SONA silent on dealing with deadlier COVID-19 variant, workers’ woes
In his last SONA, Duterte offered no concrete steps on how the country will address the pandemic, particularly with the confirmed local transmission of the deadlier Delta variant.
Government still fails in COVID-19 mass testing
WHO said lockdowns is a time to build gov’t capacities to detect, isolate, test and care for all cases; trace and quarantine all contacts.” In PH, mass testing still far from universally accepted benchmarks.
#UndoingDuterte | Poor contact tracing amid deadly Delta variant
To identify close contacts up to third or fourth degree, contact tracing has to rely on an already robust public health system which the Philippines does not have in the first place.
#UndoingDuterte | Public health’s sorry state under an unapologetic regime
The health sector suffered from massive budget cuts and Filipinos are increasingly dying from preventable diseases as public health care remains elusive. Where is the Duterte administration’s so-called legacy?