Aabutin ng ilang buwan bago lubusang makikala ang mga katangian ng COVID-19 variant na unang natagpuan sa PH

TINITINGNAN pa rin ng mga eksperto sa kalusugan ang mga katangian ng P.3 — ang bagong variant

ng coronavirus na unang natagpuan sa Pilipinas.

Sinabi ng Department of Health (DOH) na ang P.3 ay hindi pa isinasaalang-alang bilang isang “variant of concern.”

Sa isang artikulo mula sa Forbes noong Marso 18, sinabi nito na iba ang P.3 “bears a resemblance to the recently discovered Japanese variant (B.1.1.248) and the infamous Brazilian variant (P.1), known for its dangerous immune-escape capabilities.”

Idinagdag nito na ang “B.1.1.248 and the Philippine Variant (P.3) seem to be second and thirdgeneration descendants of P.1.”

Gayunpaman, kailangan ng karagdagang mga pag-aaral sa bagong variant na ito, sinabi ng DOH.

“We recognize the potential of this mutant to be immune escape and as it is with other variants under

investigation and mutations of potential clinical significance, we continue to investigate,” sinabi ng DOH sa isang pahayag nitong Marso 28.

Sinabi ni World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe na “the P3 variant is an interesting variant and it merits some study.”

“We are supporting the (Philippine) government in its effort to understand what are the effects of P.3 variant. This is new and we are trying to understand this. At this time, we don’t see any associated increased transmissibility, any increased severity in disease in people who have been carrying the P.3 variant,” aniya sa isang press briefing noong Marso 19.

Sinabi ni Abeyasinghe na aabutin ng maraming

buwan upang makalikom ng impormasyong nakapalibot sa isang bagong variant, binanggit bilang isang halimbawa ang B.1.1.7 variant na unang napansin sa United Kingdom.

“I want to remind you that the B.1.1.7 variant was detected in September last year and now we have some information, so that gives you an idea of how much time it takes to understand these variants and we’re still not clear even about increased transmissibility or severity of disease caused by B.1.1.7,” sinabi niya.

“So these could take several months—but rest assured that we are doing everything in our capacities here in WHO to understand what it means to have a P.3 variant in the Philippines,” aniya.