MANILA - Patients with flu-like symptoms are urged to avail themselves of telemedicine for consultations to avoid congesting hospitals, an infectious disease specialist said Tuesday.

When asked for comment on the supposed shortage of over-the-counter drugs for cough and colds, Dr. Edsel Salvana said it should be no problem for pharmacies to restock their supplies.

"Flu season talaga eh so magsasabay-sabay talaga 'yan, di lang COVID. important ang symptomatic relief 'pero pag nahihirapan na huminga at mababa na ang oxygenation kailangan magpasuri na sa doctor," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(It's the flu season...symptomatic relief is important but if you find it hard to breathe and have low oxygenation, you need to consult a doctor.)

"Kung mild lang ang symptoms pwede magteleconsult para di ma-crowd ang hospitals."

(If you have mild symptoms you can avail of teleconsult so as not to crowd hospitals.)

The Department of Health said Monday it assumes that there is already transmission of the omicron variant in the communities.

• PH now high-risk for COVID, omicron local transmission 'assumed': DOH

Omicron appears to be more transmissible than the delta variant as it primarily stays in the upper airways, according to Salvana.

• Omicron evades immunity better than Delta, Danish study finds

"'Yun ay batay sa lab experiments, mukhang nagi-stay siya sa upper airways at tubo ng mga baga, delta dumadami sa areas with air exchange. Mas nakakahawa ang omicron kasi kung nasa taas lang siya mas madali siyang ibuga," he said.

(That is based on lab experiments, it seems to stay in the upper airways whereas delta multiplies in areas with air exchange. Omicron seems to be more transmissible because it stays in the upper airways, it's easier to spit.)