Citizens’ discipline enhances

effectiveness of COVID-19
mitigation measures
Published December 31, 2021, 12:05 AM
by Manila Bulletin
https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/31/citizens-discipline-enhances-effectiveness-of-covid-19-mitigation-
measures/

I. Vocabulary

Mitigate

to make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad

Transmission

the process of broadcasting or sending out something by radio or television, on the internet, etc., or

something that is broadcast or sent out

: an act, process, or instance of transmitting

Mobility

1: the quality or state of being mobile or movable

2: the ability to change one's social or socioeconomic position in a community and especially to improve
it

II. Summary

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency authorization to the vaccination of
children from 5 to 11 years old. The FDA also approved the emergency use of an anti-COVID pill
Molnupiravir. As the fourth Omicron case in the country was reported, it is reasonable to expect that
"the possibility of community transmission becomes greater and greater". These developed after a
robust mid-December assessment by OCTA Research noting that the Philippines "has achieved a
substantial population immunity against COVID-19 as infections and hospitalization numbers drop
despite the higher mobility and the easing of movement restrictions." This is tempered by the emergent
profile of Omicron infections as being less severe even if these may be more transmissible. Despite
being disrupted by the highly destructive typhoon Odette, the second phase of the national vaccination
drive achieved 102.34 percent of its target with more than 7 million more jabs being administered
nationwide. The total number of fully vaccinated Filipinos stands at 47.1 million, or 61.1 percent — short
of the 70 percent target of 54 million by end-2021. (Manila Bulletin, 2021)

III. Reaction

The year-end position of the country in terms of COVID-19 containment gives Filipinos sufficient reason
to be optimistic. Despite the continuing threats posed by Omicron and other possible mutations, the
Filipinos’ commendable sense of discipline in terms of observing the health and safety protocols of
masking, physical distancing and frequent hand washing has greatly reduced COVID incidence. While
waiting for the boosters vaccine, Filipino’s must do the health care protocols, you shouldn’t disobey the
law because they have the power to arrest you. Aside from the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency
Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Año added that Republic Act
11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act and
the Local Government Code can be used to determine penalties or sanctions against the violators. (Año,
2021). We have seen also the slight increase in the number of cases in the emergency room, We used to
see only about one... But right now, there were even days we see 10 cases. Then out of the 10, we see
five that turn out positive. That is being felt in reality, in the hospitals. (Limpin, 2021). Back on the
Christmas season, people forget about the health protocols resulting to creeping up higher numbers of
daily infected person.

IV. References

Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Mitigate. In Cambridge English dictionary. Retrieved January 30, 2022,
from MITIGATE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary

Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Transmission. In Cambridge English dictionary. Retrieved January 30, 2022,
from TRANSMISSION | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary

CNN Philippines Staff. (2021, December 29). Hospitals see slightly more COVID-19 cases during holiday
break, doctors' group says. CNN Philippines. cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/12/29/Hospital-COVID-19-
cases-holiday-Christmas.html

Manila Bulletin. (2021, December 31). Citizens’ discipline enhances effectiveness of COVID-19
mitigation measures. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/31/citizens-discipline-enhances-
effectiveness-of-covid-19-mitigation-measures/

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Mobility. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved January 30, 2022,

from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mobility

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Transmission. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved January 30,s

2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transmission

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY. (2021, June 1). DILG, DOJ ink memo on stricter health protocols'
enforcement. PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1142196