Baby with Covid dies, along with 6 other patients

By The SUN 

After the baby's death, government experts recommended that kids as young as 6 months can be given Covid jabs

A 22-month-old girl who was stricken with Covid-19 died at about noon today, according to Hospital Authority’s Dr Lau Ka-hin.

The baby had been in critical condition at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital since Thursday, when she was flown there from a Lamma clinic where she was first admitted.

She was found with brain lesions and had to be intubated on admission, but her condition continued to worsen.

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Lau said her case had been forwarded to the coroner for further investigation. He expressed sympathy to the girl’s family, and said the HA would provide them support and assistance if needed.

He also said six Covid patients comprising four men and two women had died, aged between 52 and 84. They took the death toll from the fifth wave to 9,296.

Five died yesterday, while the sixth, a 52-year-old man, had died after being found unconscious while at work on Jul 25. He reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus through a rapid antigen test a week earlier but did not seek medical attention.

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“But it may not be related to Covid because he had a coronary heart problem, high blood pressure and fatty heart,” said Lau. However, an autopsy revealed the deceased was still Covid positive.

Another patient, a 58-year-old woman, likewise failed to consult a doctor after testing positive on Jul 15. She did not have any vaccine shot, and had all sorts of ailments, including hepatitis B, diabetes and tuberculosis.

On Jul 21 her family members called for an ambulance as she had gotten very weak and was not eating well. She was taken to a  hospital where her lungs were found to be scarred and her viral load was very high. Her condition continued to worsen and she succumbed yesterday.

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Lau urged everyone who tests positive on a rapid test, particularly the elderly or other high-risk individuals, to report their positive result to the government so they can get immediate medical advice or treatment.

He said some patients may not deem it necessary to seek medical help because they only have mild symptoms and they think it’s just an ordinary flu.

But Lau warned Covid is not just flu, and the patient’s condition could deteriorate rapidly, as what many of the cases involving the elderly showed.

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He also said, almost in exasperation, that everyone deemed qualified to take a Covid vaccine should do so, and complete the recommended three doses so they have a better chance of avoiding serious complications, even death.

Separately, Lau reported the case of a 35-month-old boy who was rushed to a hospital on Friday after developing a fever and started having spasms.

His fever has since subsided and he is now listed in stable condition although he remains in intensive care for observation.

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Lau urged parents to get their children vaccinated if they are qualified for it. Shortly after he said this, government experts advising the government on its pandemic response recommended that children as young as six months old can be given a Covid vaccine.

The toddler is among the 4,019 new local coronavirus cases reported by the Centre for Health Protection today. There were also 235 imported infections.

CHP’s Dr Albert Au said that among the imported cases, 132 were detected at the airport, 80 during hotel quarantine and the remaining 23 post-isolation.

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The countries where more than 10 infected patients had come from were the United Kingdom, India, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, the United States and the Philippines.

Au also said that as it was a Monday, there was a higher number of infections reported from schools as they included those detected over the weekend.

A total of 940 coronavirus cases were reported by 558 schools, involving 784 students and 156 teachers and staff.

Among them was a cluster of eight cases reported from a student hostel at St Stephen’s College Preparatory School  in Stanley.

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Pagbabayad sa PhilHealth, hindi raw sapilitan sa mga OFW

Ni Daisy CL Mandap

 

'Pinagkakakitaan!" Ito ang sagot ng mga OFW sa tanong na ito ni Alann Mas

Hindi kailan man ikinabit sa OEC (overseas employment certificate) ang pagbabayad para sa PhilHealth kaya hindi ito sapilitan sa mga overseas Filipino workers.

Ito ang sinabi ni Ringo Danao, senior social insurance officer ng PhilHealth o Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, sa isang pakikipag-usap sa mga lider ng migranteng Pilipino sa Hong Kong na ginanap nitong Linggo sa Wesleyan building sa Wan Chai.

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Isinagawa ang pulong sa pagitan ng mga kinatawan ng mga opisyal at ahensya ng gobyerno at mga lider ng komunidad sa pakikipag-ugnayan ng Rise Against Government Exactions o Rage, na itinatag ng ilang grupo ng mga OFW matapos ipasa ang Universal Health Care (UHC) Law noong Pebrero ng 2019.

Bukod kay Danao, dumalo din sa online na pagtitipon ang manager ng OFW Operations Centre Department ng Pag-IBIG Fund na si Rosette Ignacio, Consul Paulo Saret ng Konsulado at Assistant Labor Attache Angelica Sunga.

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Ayon kay Danao, hindi isinama ang pagbabayad para sa PhilHealth sa listahan ng mga singilan na ikinabit sa OEC noong Agosto ng taong 2015.

“Hindi requirement ang pagbabayad sa PhilHealth sa pagkuha ng OEC,” sabi ni Danao.

Humingi din siya ng pag-unawa sa mga OFW lider na mariing tinututulan ang puwersahang paniningil para sa PhilHealth. Ayon sa kanya, ipinapatupad lang nila ang mga panuntunan na nakasaad sa UHC law na pinirmahan ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

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Sa ilalim ng batas na ito ay umaabot na sa 4% ng buwanang suweldo ng isang OFW ang dapat nilang ibayad para sa PhilHealth. Ibig sabihin, ang dapat bayaran ng isang OFW sa Hong Kong na kumikita ng pinakamababang sahod na $4,630 ay mahigit Php15,500 sa isang taon, o Php31,000 sa bawat dalawang taon na kontrata.

Ayon sa kinatawan ng mga OFW, kung pagsasamahin ang lahat ng mga pwersahang singilin sa mga OFW kasama ang para sa PhilHealth ay aabot ito sa mahigit Php40,000 bawat taon.

“Kaunti na lang ay pwede nang bumili ng tricycle,” sabi ni Eman Villanueva ng Bayan Hong Kong and Macau na isa sa mga nagsalita. Pero kahit sa mga OFW-driver na higit na malaki ang sinasahod ay mahihirapan daw maglabas ng ganito kalaking halaga taon-taon.

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Ayon kay Danao, ipinaabot na daw nila kay Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople ang kanilang posisyon tungkol sa usaping ito, dahil una nang isinapubliko ng kalihim ang kanyang pagkabahala sa malaking halaga na sinisingil sa mga OFW para dito.

Naging palaisipan naman ito sa mga lider ng RAGE na pinangungunahan nina Dolores Balladares-Pelaez at Alann Mas, dahil naging malaking balita noong 2020 ang pagpatigil ni Duterte sa paniningil para sa PhilHealth nang umalma ang maraming OFW sa iba-ibang parte ng mundo.

Pinakita ni Mas ang sisingilin para sa PhilHealth sa isang OFW na kumikita ng minimum sa HK

Pero kung nakaluwag sa isipan nila ng bahagya ang sinabi ng taga PhilHealth ay kabaligtaran naman ang epekto ng pahayag ni Ignacio ng Pag-IBIG.

Kinumpirma ni Ignacio na simula ngayong Lunes, Aug 1, ay ipapatupad na ang pagkakabit sa ng Pag-IBIG sa OEC. Ibig sabihin, lahat ng kukuha ng OEC ay dapat nang ilagay ang kanilang Pag-IBIG membership number sa online form na kailangan nilang sagutin, bago sila makakuha ng exemption at makaalis ng bansa.

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Dagdag niya, para daw ito masiguro na ang bawat perang binabayad ng isang OFW para sa Pag-IBIG ay naipapasok sa kanilang account. Kahit magpalipat-lipat daw sila ng bansang pagtatrabahuan ay sa iisang account lang papasok ang kanilang bayad.

Nagbigay din si Ignacio ng datos na nagpapakita na mula sa Php100 kada buwan na binayad ng mga OFW ay libo-libo na ang nakinabang sa pamamagitan ng housing loan at iba pang benepisyo.

Nilinaw naman ni Balladares-Pelaez na hindi nila tinututulan ang pagbabayad para sa Pag-IBIG ng mga OFW dahil marami din naman ang naniniwala na malaki ang naitutulong nito para sila kumita o magkabahay.

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Ang ayaw lang daw nila ay ang gawin itong sapilitan dahil higit na nakakarami ang mga OFW na gipit sa pera o walang balak mangutang para sa pagpapatayo ng bahay.

Ang iba pang nakalinyang bayarin na mahigpit na tinututulan ng mga OFW sa pangunguna ng RAGE ay ang para sa expanded mandatory insurance na kasalukuyan nang ipinatutupad, at sa SSS o Social Security System na ayon kay Mas, ay di hamak na malaki ang idudulot na kawalan sa mga OFW.

Nanawagan sila na ibasura na lang ang OEC para hindi na daw ito gamitin ng iba-ibang ahensya na gustong makasingil nang sapilitan sa mga OFW.

“Bagong Bayani ba tayo o Gatasang Baka?” sabi ni Mas sa paninimula ng kanyang pagbabahagi sa pulong. Ang nagkakaisang tugon ng mga OFW sa pulong, ""Gatasang Baka."

SA SUSUNOD: Ang singilan para sa expanded mandatory insurance at sa SSS

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HK posts 4,634 new Covid cases

By The SUN

 

Both BioNTech and Sinovac jabs are expected to be made available to kids aged 6 months and above

Government experts are set to convene a meeting Monday on whether to allow children under three years old to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as a 22-month-old baby girl continues to fight for her life after coming down with the virus.

The baby was flown by helicopter from Lamma where she lives, to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan after she developed a high fever and was subsequently found to suffer from brain inflammation due to the infection.

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Dr Gladys Kwan, a chief manager of the Hospital Authority said the girl remains in critical condition at the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit.

The Hong Kong Medical Association said the experts will likely recommend giving both Sinovac and BioNTech jabs to children aged between six months and three years old.

At the daily press conference, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection reported 4,634 new Covid infections and one death yesterday.

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Chuang said 179 of the 4,634 infections were imported and 4,455 were local.

Kwan added that the day’s lone fatality was an 82-year-old unvaccinated man who had hypertension and fatty liver disease.

He was prescribed oral antiviral drugs at a designated clinic on Wednesday but was admitted to hospital two days later after developing cough and fever. He passed away Saturday.

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Kwan also said a total of 1,494 patients were being treated at public hospitals, of which 12 patients were in intensive care.

Testing requirements for staff at public hospitals will be further stepped up, with those assigned to accident and emergency departments being required to do two PCR tests every week, on top of the daily rapid antigen tests (RAT).

The same rule, which is already being followed by staff taking care of high-risk patients, will also apply to their colleagues who do outreach work at care homes.

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“We already cover those colleagues who are taking care of the high-risk group patients, and these plans will continue to expand," Kwan said.

"Starting from next week, we are going to cover all the A&E colleagues as well as those who do outreach work at residential homes. We will review the effectiveness and see if we can further expand.

"

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Responding to a query on whether relatives of the dancer seriously injured at a MIRROR concert last Friday night have been allowed to visit the patient immediately after flying in from Canada, Kwan said such visits have been allowed throughout the pandemic.

She confirmed that the family members were allowed to go to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where the patient is being treated, not long after they arrived from Toronto earlier on Sunday.

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Chuang said that from April 2021 to March this year, around 1,240 applications for such compassionate visits had been approved.

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FVR dies, aged 94

 

President Fidel V. Ramos :  Mar 18, 1928 - July 31, 2022 

Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos, known to many as FVR, died at the age of 94 on Sunday, Jul 31.

Members of his family confirmed his death but gave no further details.

However, a longtime military aide said the late president had been in and out of the hospital due to a heart condition and had suffered dementia. He passed away at the Makati Medical Centre in the company of relatives.

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The Ramos family said in a statement, “We thank you all for respecting our privacy, as the family takes some time to grieve together…We will announce wake and funeral arrangements in the near future.”

Ramos was the Philippines’ 12^th president, having served from 1992 to 1998. Before being elected to the top post, he was also chief of the Philippine Constabulary and chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He gained prominence for helping topple former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr., his second-degree cousin, from his 20-year rule, in 1986.

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Ramos was narrowly elected president six years later, replacing Corazon Aquino who took over from Marcos after the People Power revolt.

Though he won less than 23 percent of the vote, Ramos quickly gained widespread public approval, garnering 66 percent support during his incumbency. His presidency is still remembered for bringing peace, stability and growth to the country.

Marcos’ son, the Incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., quickly issued a statement of sympathy to the Ramos family.

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"Our family shares the Filipino people's grief on this sad day. We did not only lose a good leader but also a member of the family," Marcos, Jr. said.

"The legacy of his presidency will always be cherished and will be forever enshrined in the hearts of our grateful nation."

FVR speaking to HK reporters before heading on to China, where he was a frequent visitor

Before becoming the head of the national police force during Marcos Sr.’s rule, Ramos was a decorated war hero, having fought in wars in Korea and Vietnam.

Ramos was born on March 18, 1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan, the son of a lawmaker and diplomat and a teacher. He graduated from the US Military Academy in West Point in 1950 and earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois the following year.

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According to the Ramos Foundation, he earned two more master’s degrees afterwards: in national security from the National Defense College in 1969; and in business administration from Ateneo de Manila University in 1980.

Through all these, he held every rank in the Philippine army until he became commander-in-chief in 1992.

His six-year administration is well remembered for its policy of opening the country’s economy to foreign investment through deregulation and liberalization, and for breaking up monopolies in the transportation and communications sectors.

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Through special powers granted to him by Congress, he rehabilitated the energy sector, ending frequent and hours-long power outages in the country. Journalists also credit him for keeping an open line to them and being tolerant of public criticism.

As a result, the economy surged and poverty rates fell from 39 percent to 31 percent.

While he eventually became a hero to many for defecting from Marcos Sr’s government, others would not forget his role in enforcing iron-fist rule during the dark years of martial law under the dictatorship.

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Ramos, the country’s only Protestant president, was well known for being indefatigable, going on daily jogs and playing golf regularly until he was well over 80 years old.

But what most people would remember him for was his habit of going about his daily activities - while chomping on cigars he never lit.

Ramos is survived by his wife Ming and their four daughters. Their second child, also a daughter, passed away in 2011.

Experts set to meet on giving Covid jabs to kids younger than 3

By The SUN

 

Vaccination centre for kids: Experts will decide Monday whether those under 3 can get the jab

Experts advising the government on its pandemic response are set to meet on Monday on whether Covid vaccines should be given to children under the age of three.

This was disclosed by Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection as a 22-month-old girl who suffered brain swelling after contracting Covid-19 remains in critical condition in hospital.

Chuang said the baby was found to carry the BA.2.2 Omicron subvariant.

She said vaccination is essential for everyone, particularly for those who are near babies as they are  still unable to receive vaccination.

She also reported an additional 4,683 new infections today, including 193 imported cases – 78 were detected at the airport, 94 in quarantine hotels, and 21 after the patient had finished the seven-day isolation.

Four more patients with Covid, aged between 65 and 92, died within the past 24 hours, taking the fatality toll from the fifth wave to 9,289.

HA’s Dr Gladys Kwan said a total of 1,456 patients are now being treated at public hospitals, including 17 who are in critical condition and 22 who are seriously ill. Among the critically ill, nine are in intensive care units.

Kwan also reported another hospital outbreak. This time, it happened in the geriatric ward at Princess Margaret Hospital, involving five patients and a nursing student in total.

Another one appears to have occurred at Kwai Chung Hospital where three patients had caught the virus shortly after an employee was infected.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau has confirmed that Hong Kong is considering reducing mandatory hotel quarantine for arriving travelers from seven days to five days or less.

Lo said in an interview with Now TV that during the next two days after the travelers leave hotel quarantine they will be made to follow a yellow health code which prohibits them from visiting high-risk places or those that will allow them to take off their masks in public.

In addition, the new arrival may be asked to take a rapid antigen test every two days.

Lo did not mention a time frame for the move, but previous media reports it will be put in place in time for a global bankers’ summit to be held in Hong Kong in November.