coronavirus-latest | ABS-CBN News

Metro Manila mayors, IATF agree to ease quarantine, Palace says

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Feb 19 08:42 AM

Metro Manila mayors and the inter-agency task force leading the country's COVID-19 response have reached an agreement to place the National Capital Region under modified general community quarantine next month, Malacañang said on Friday.  Read more »

PhilHealth says may finish liquidating 'stolen' P15 billion in March

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Feb 15 06:29 PM

State medical insurer PhilHealth said on Monday it might complete next month a liquidation of P15 billion in public funds that were allegedly stolen by unscrupulous officials.  Read more »

World faces around 4,000 coronavirus variants, prompting search for improved vaccines: UK ofc'l

Guy Faulconbridge and Alistair Smout, Reuters
Updated as of Feb 05 06:23 AM

There are around 4,000 coronavirus variants around the world prompting vaccine manufacturers, including Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc, to try to improve their shots, a British minister said.   Read more »

Duterte okays 'no disconnection' rule for electricity 'lifeliners' in February

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Feb 04 01:34 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the "no power disconnection" policy for "lifeliners" or low-income Filipinos to help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, one of his aides said on Thursday.  Read more »

China to provide 10 million vaccine doses to COVAX initiative

Reuters
Posted at Feb 03 07:45 PM

China plans to provide 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to global vaccine sharing scheme COVAX, as three Chinese companies have applied to join the initiative for approval, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.   Read more »

Singapore approves Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in Asia first

Reuters
Posted at Feb 03 05:44 PM

Singapore has become the first country in Asia to approve Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine as it begins rolling out its immunization program to the wider population.   Read more »

Health workers in 4 NCR hospitals are on top of COVID-19 vaccination list

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Feb 03 03:53 PM

Health workers in 4 hospitals in Metro Manila will be prioritized in the distribution of COVID-19 shots, the first batch of which is expected to arrive in the Philippines this month, an official leading the inoculation drive said on Wednesday.  Read more »

Duterte to meet Cabinet Wednesday

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Feb 03 03:35 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte will meet his Cabinet later Wednesday, Malacañang said.    Read more »

PH looking to give COVID-19 vaccination priority to economic frontliners, athletes

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Feb 03 01:57 PM

Authorities will look into possibly expanding the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination to cover economic frontliners and some athletes, an official leading the inoculation drive said on Wednesday.  Read more »

Recovered COVID patients likely protected for at least six months: study

Kate Kelland, Reuters
Posted at Feb 03 11:00 AM

LONDON - Almost all people previously infected with COVID-19 have high levels of antibodies for at least six months that are likely to protect them from reinfection with the disease, results of a major UK study showed on Wednesday. Read more »

Nograles says PH 'back to old status quo' after ban on foreign travelers ends Jan. 31

Aleta Nieva Nishimori, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 30 02:36 PM

MANILA - The Philippines is reopening its doors to select foreign nationals on February 1, 2021 after imposing a travel ban on travelers from countries that have reported the COVID-19 variant first detected in the United Kingdom, an official said Saturday. Read more »

MGCQ for entire Philippines 'doable' in Feb or March: trade chief

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 29 03:38 PM

A target for the Philippines to shift to the least stringent quarantine level in the first quarter of the year remains "doable", the trade department said on Friday despite a local cases of new, more contagious COVID-19 variant.  Read more »

No extension: Philippine travel curbs vs new COVID-19 variant to end Jan. 31

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 29 12:42 PM

A ban on the entry of foreign travelers that is meant to halt the spread of a new, more contagious COVID-19 variant will "lapse" on Jan. 31, as initially announced, Malacañang said on Friday.  Read more »

Metro Manila, CAR,6 areas under GCQ in February

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 29 01:44 PM

 Metro Manila and 13 other areas will be under will remain under general community quarantine until in February to arrest the spread of COVID-19, Malacañang said on Friday.  Read more »

Philippines sets conditions on entry of foreigners starting Feb. 1

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 29 09:56 AM

The inter-agency task force leading the country's COVID-19 response has set conditions on the entry of foreign travelers into the country from next month, Malacañang said on Friday.    Read more »

Nuns eyed as COVID-19 vaccinators in QC

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 28 07:00 PM

The Quezon City government said on Thursday it was eyeing nuns as additional vaccinators against COVID-19.  Read more »

QC coronavirus goal: Vaccinate 1.6 million in 6 to 8 months

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 28 07:00 PM

The country's most populous city will have 24 inoculation sites, including schools, basketball courts, and 2 parishes, said Joseph Juico of the Quezon City Investment Affairs Office.  Read more »

Palace says favoring no one in COVID-19 protocol watch

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 28 02:45 PM

Malacañang said on Thursday the government was favoring no one in its implementation of protocols to halt the spread of COVID-19, in connection with a party that celebrities and an official recently attended.  Read more »

Cordillera, Davao region 'candidates' for tougher quarantine in Feb: Palace

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 28 02:22 PM

At least 2 regions are "candidates" for tougher quarantine levels in February, Malacañang said on Thursday.  Read more »

Rumors and fear dog Philippine plan for coronavirus vaccine drive

Karen Lema, Reuters
Posted at Jan 28 09:22 AM

The Philippines is due to start immunizations next month despite suffering Southeast Asia's second-worst outbreak of the coronavirus with more than half a million infections and over 10,000 deaths. But officials acknowledge they have an uphill struggle to persuade many people to take it, on top of the logistical difficulties in reaching 2,000 inhabited islands with a precarious health system in the Southeast Asian archipelago. Read more »