A year into the pandemic, there is still so much to learn about COVID-19. Our understanding of the nature of the virus and how to contain its spread continues to evolve. Despite the frantic pace of vaccination, the end seems to be nowhere in sight.
Premier medical clinic Centre Medicale Internationale (CMI), in partnership with private members club Manila House, recently hosted “Reboot Required: What Has to Change in the Philippine COVID-19 Response for Us to Cope Better.” The free Zoom webinar was organized to to be a discussion platform on what changes must be implemented—taking from lessons of the past year— so that the health situation and the resulting economic crisis can be handled better.
Family medicine specialist, disaster medicine consultant, and CMI Advisory Board member Dr. Aileen Espina discussed “Prevention and Management of Surges in the Workplace and Communities.” Rheumatologist, University of the Philippines College of Medicine Professor and Vice Chancellor, and OCTA Research fellow Dr. Michael Tee explained the rise of variants, the latest hospital occupancy rates, and the advent of telemedicine in his talk “Viral Lessons.” OCTA Research fellow, pediatrician, and infectious disease and clinical pharmacology expert Dr. Benjamin Co spoke about “The Continuing Saga of COVID-19 Vaccines”—from their efficacy in real-world studies to their possible mixing and matching, and the potential of single-dose and oral preparations.
Manila House marketing and PR head Bambina Olivares served as the moderator of the virtual event.