A HOUSE leader on Wednesday advised concerned government agencies not to make drastic decisions over plans to reintroduce mandatory coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) tests for travelers arriving in the country.

House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Representative Janette Garin said, “the most that we can request is a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test prior to departure.”

Realistically speaking, Garin said the country “has no systems and processes in place,” unlike other countries.

Garin said even the vaccination certificates and the corresponding IT (Information Technology) system are “chaotic.”

“Before coming up with a decision on the issue of mandatory testing on travelers from China, our government can first seek some clarification with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Chinese Embassy on the real situation,” Garin said as she expressed concern over the confusion brought about by unverified information particularly the fear that the increased number of cases could result in the development of variants of concern.

Garin, a vaccinology expert, clarifies that VOCs (the variant of concern) are unlikely to happen in China given its 95% vaccination coverage.

“We should be more concerned [about] how to increase our vaccination and booster coverage so as to sustain the initial gains we have. Garin reiterated the four benefits of vaccination: 1) prevent deaths; 2) reduce severity; 3) reduce hospitalization; 4) prevent mutation. VOCs happen among the unvaccinated, immunocompromised patients,” she said.

If and when the country decides on imposing restrictions, Garin insisted that decisions should be based on science and not because we heed the clamor of other nations, saying closing the doors for China will turn away tourists and investors at a time when the country’s tourism is just recovering.

China and Hongkong used to have mandatory every three days, free PCR testing; hence the number of cases was regularly updated, she said.

With their current realization that government spending on this is not anymore necessary, citing the more than 85% asymptomatic cases coupled with two to three days recovery of the symptomatic, including those with comorbidities, Garin said reporting had been affected.

“Let us not lose sight of the current basis for Covid protocols and guidelines. We have shifted to deaths and ICU utilization rather than [the] number of positives,” she said.

“Kung ibabase natin sa siyensya, tingnan natin na kung tumataas ang hospital and ICU admissions, then that’s a red flag. Pero kung maraming natatamaan ng COVID pero parang sipon at lagnat lang ay hindi ito alarming. We have more deaths from non-COVID ailments and other problems dahil maraming tao ang hindi na nagpapakonsulta at hindi na umiinom ng kanilang maintenance medicines,” Garin said.

Garin has called on the Department of Health (DOH) to brief other NGAs (national government agencies), citing the lack of scientific basis for DOTr’s recommendation.

“We need to focus on the bigger COVID-related problems the country is facing. Making testing free for those who need it, free antivirals for moderate and severe covid, and realistic Philhealth packages. We have a low vaccination coverage. Mutations are likely to happen here,” Garin said.

“‘Wag sana tayong umabot sa punto na masyado na nating iniisip ang sitwasyon sa China pero nakakalimutan na sa Pilipinas marami pa rin tayong kaso. We have bigger problems to face; COVID is here to stay so tugunan ang malaking gastusin sa kalusugan we need to reassess how to manage at ma-address ang mababa nating booster vaccination, which is just around 30% as of Jan 2. The out of pocket health expenditure in the Philippines is very high at 65-70%,” Garin stressed.

Allegations of deaths in China should be verified; according to her, adding deaths is not easy to hide because every person has family, friends, and neighbors.

She said there will always be somebody who can speak up knowing a friend/ relative has died.

But the independent projections of those sowing fear do not seem to be happening on the ground because deaths being attributed are not directly caused by COVID-19, Garin said.

Garin further emphasized the scientific process of identifying a patient’s cause of death.

She said a morbid patient with end-stage renal disease, displaying signs of symptoms of kidney failure and sepsis, can’t be labeled as a primary Covid death because of a positive test.

It should be accompanied by signs and symptoms related to COVID, she said.

As we live with COVID, Garin said it is very important to consider the possibility of this virus becoming an opportunistic infection, where those who are immunocompromised and severely ill patients get infected.

“Also important to note is the possibility that covid patients need not isolate for long. The possibility of the asymptomatics being allowed to work in a country with high vaccination coverage should be explored. High vaccination coverage means we can live with COVID,” Garin said.