Duterte wants new task force on COVID-19 variant

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte yesterday said he wants the creation of a new task force composed of medical experts to deal with the new coronavirus strain.

“Ideally, it should be medical persons that should focus on the new strain, Duterte said during a meeting with Cabinet members and infectious disease experts at Malacañang yesterday.

He added that the government should not be complacent and that it should “treat the virus as a deadly disease that could be entering the Philippines.”

During the meeting, health experts said that while the new strain is more contagious, there is still no evidence that it is more virulent.

Placing the country under the strictest lockdown measures is also possible if the new COVID strain from the UK spreads in the Philippines, according to the President.

“We will treat the new strain like we treat COVID-19. If it is toxic and virulent, we will respond accordingly and it might be a lockdown if things get worse,” he said.

Duterte added that the decision would depend on the severity of the cases and the number of people infected by the new variant.

‘No vaccine, no VFA’

Meanwhile, the President challenged the US government to facilitate the Philippines’ acquisition of vaccines from Pfizer.

Duterte demanded at least 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccines from the US to stop the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

“If they don’t deliver, then they better get out,” he said during the same meeting.

Duterte ordered the abrogation of the long-standing defense agreement between the Philippines and the US last February.

“No vaccine, no stay here,” he said.

Duterte later extended the suspension of the termination of the VFA until the end of the year.