The Ilocos Times

By Noralyn Onto Dudt The END of the pandemic is not yet upon us, and with variants making their rounds, it looks like it may never end.   However,   as   the latest research holds promise and has the scientific community looking up, we can greet the New Year in good spirits. The COVID-19 emergency has unleashed an unprecedented surge of innovation and collaboration in research. Just as the virus started spreading   around the globe about two years ago,   scientists around the world   became more adept at rapid response,   sharing genetic sequences and clinical data at the speed of light, enabling more discovery. Although the first wave of vaccines showed their   limitations, they have performed magnificently. Millions and millions of the world population are fully vaccinated, and an enormous amount of suffering and death has been averted. However, vaccine efficacy does wane, facilitating the need for boosters as one   variant after another threatens to upend any progress that has

By Noralyn Onto Dudt OMICRON, the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet has been drafted   by the World Health Organization as the name for the new COVID-19 variant, technically known as the B.1.1.529 variant. The Omicron variant is a reminder of what scientists and medical experts have been saying for months: COVID-19 will thrive as long as vast numbers of the global population are not vaccinated. Scientists say that Omicron is the weirdest creature they have ever encountered with 30 unruly swarm of mutations scattered on three major prongs of the spike protein that is essential to the virus ability to infect cells,   a first of its kind with so many mutations gathered in "one package." Even though some of these mutations are recognizable,   many of them are new and utterly enigmatic. That said, scientists do not want to get ahead of the facts: no one knows exactly yet how this variant behaves in real-world situations. However, should they find a high degree of immune-evas

By Noralyn Dudt PAIN is not   imagined, but your brain plays a role.   A large number of the population suffers from chronic pain which is defined as pain experienced most days to some, or every day to the unfortunate others. Conditions include migraines, sciatica and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as shoulder, knee and elbow pain. Back and neck pain have been experienced by a lot of people at some point in their lives. The medical community has traditionally regarded chronic pain in one or two ways. Doctors either consider it a structural problem caused by tissue damage—muscle strain, ruptured disks, an inflamed or torn tendon; or they shrug, saying they cannot find anything wrong and suggest painkillers,   physical therapy,   rest, or a different diet or lifestyle. In too many cases, surgery is performed,   despite dismal success rates of around 25 per cent.   The view that chronic pain originates in the brain—that it is fundamentally a psychological phenomenon,   and can

By Noralyn O. Dudt SMALLPOX was on its way of being eradicated in 1979, and in the following year, the World Health Organization declared it official.   Its eradication was   not only due to   the aggressive vaccination programs that were launched,   but also due to the unique characteristics of the virus. These unique characteristics were:   the virus needed animal hosts to keep it alive;   the virus had clear features that made the disease easy to recognize in people who suffered from it;   the virus was   infectious for only a short period of time, and getting infected conferred immunity for life. Measles , on the other hand,   is an example of a disease that couldn't be eradicated. This highly transmissible respiratory virus only came under control after a vaccine was developed in 1963, and in highly vaccinated regions such as the United States, it has technically been eliminated, although occasional outbreaks still occur. The endgame for the coronavirus will not look l

  With one of the world’s longest quarantines, Filipinos are already experiencing “protocol fatigue,” which makes them more lenient about hygiene habits and puts them at risk of infection. Procter & Gamble’s Safeguard is stepping in to remind and reinforce the importance of proper handwashing through the SAFEWash movement. With the current increase in cases in the country, the brand is even more committed to becoming a force for good for all Filipinos who are put at risk every day.   SAFEWash Program Extends Help Nationwide To help protect Filipinos from the threats of germs and illnesses, P&G and Safeguard ramp up its SAFEWash movement by donating a total of over Php 100 million worth of support. Launched last year, the SAFEWash movement enables organizations and individuals to work together to promote proper handwashing. On top of this, Safeguard is helping to rebuild handwashing facilities and provide hygiene kits for the Philippine General Hospital, currently hous

By Noralyn Onto Dudt Watch what you eat. You eat the wrong stuff and your arteries will be clogged, your pain will be worse, and your brain will be fogged.   Blame inflammation which comes from a chemical reaction initiated by your immune system. Inflammation is the immune system's response to injury and infection. It is the body's way of signaling the immune system to heal and repair damaged tissues as well as to defend itself against foreign invaders. The attacker could be a foreign body, such as a thorn, an irritant, or a pathogen. Pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and other organisms which cause infections. When you cut your finger, white blood cells produce chemicals to combat the invader and to protect the infected area.   These chemicals are then released into the bloodstream, increasing blood flow to the area, causing inflammation.   In cases like these, inflammation is temporary and promotes healing. However, there are times when the immune system does not sw

By Noralyn Onto Dudt We have not gotten out of the "COVID-19 woods", yet. The Delta variant is sweeping the globe and new laboratory research on this swiftly spreading variant is highlighting the threats posed by viral mutations. It's an urgent call for accelerated vaccination efforts across the globe. First, it's important to understand how this version of the virus emerged. Viruses cannot live alone and, technically, they are not living things. They need a host, a living host.   They invade the host's cells and hijack their machinery to get energy and replicate, and find ways to infect other living organisms and start the process over again. The coronavirus can mutate when it replicates, especially when circulating at high rates (a.k.a. the absence of vaccinations). Mutations involve changes in the sequences of an organism's genetic code.   As we have learned, viruses typically mutate more rapidly than human cells do. This is because human cells have me

  U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law joined Philippine Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, and HIV AIDS Support House Executive Director Desi Andrew Ching, at the handover ceremony. Manila—The United States government, through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), handed over 20,000 bottles of HIV prevention drugs, or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), to the Philippine Department of Health (DOH).   The June 25, 2021 handover coincided with the formal launch of the PHP500 million (US$10.3 million) USAID-PEPFAR program in the Philippines. U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires John Law reiterated the U.S. government’s commitment to support the country in its journey to ending AIDS by 2030 through evidence-based strategies like DOH’s PrEP program. “This first tranche of HIV prevention drugs is an initial step toward achieving the country’s goal of ending AIDS,” said Law.   “We have a long road ahead of us, and the journey w

By Noralyn O. Dudt The adage , "NECESSITY is the mother of invention" comes to mind when we pause to take stock of where we are in this COVID-19 era and see that 11 vaccines are currently in use worldwide.   Certainly, a technological feat, as it has only been barely a year when the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic. Those 11 vaccines are being successfully injected into people's arms but they are not enough to fulfill the global need in the short term. According to Science News, only about 1.9 percent of the world's more than 7 billion people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus as of April 5 th . As the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines need to be stored in freezers, transporting them to far-flung areas can be logistically challenging. The necessity for other types of vaccines that would not require refrigeration has spurred scientists to think "outside the box."   To reach herd immunity around the globe we need as man

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—Residents eager to come home received good news from the Ilocos Norte government. Following the easing of border and quarantine protocols, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc announced that the cost of antigen tests for inbound residents will be reduced from PHP800 to PHP500. Antigen tests for non-residents will remain at PHP800. “This is to lighten the economic load of our residents who are coming home, now that travel requirements have been eased,” Manotoc said. Antigen tests detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, which implies viral infection. Pending the issuance of an executive order for the implementation of the new guidelines, he said getting to Ilocos Norte has been made easier with fewer travel requirements. Ilocos Norte has opened its borders to leisure travelers all over the country. Visitors from enhanced community quarantine and general community quarantine (GCQ) areas must submit neg

Zyrill Ianna Pauline D. Pe Benito, Ph.D., Ed.D.  (Contributor) Saving lives amid the pandemic. A mobile bloodletting activity was held recently at Brgy 38-A Mangato East in Laoag City upon the initiative of Paraiso ni Aniben, a resort located in the said barangay. The activity, carried out with the Philippine Red Cross-Ilocos Norte (PRC-IN) chapter and barangay officials, was coordinated by Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Pe Benito. Edna Orcino, chapter administrator, expressed joy that in the middle of the pandemic, blood donation efforts continue with the strict observance of Covid-19 protocols. “Our desire to help should be over and above our fears,” Orcino stressed. She considered it heartwarming that private citizens, like the management and staff of Paraiso ni Aniben, “unselfishly take the lead in recruiting and gathering volunteers in order to maximize community participation.” From the activity, a total of 46 bags equivalent to 20,700 ml were collected. From the targeted 5,000

HUMAN MILK BANK. The medical personnel of the human milk bank of Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center processes a 10-liter donated human milk on Dec. 28, 2020. The first of its kind in the Ilocos region, the facility is established for the purpose of ensuring that babies, particularly those born prematurely and are undernourished, will have immediate access to breast milk. Photo courtesy of Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. City of BATAC—Newborn babies here will no longer lack of safe breast milk as the first human milk bank (HMB) in Ilocos Region is now open in the biggest public hospital in Ilocos Norte. More than two years in the making, the HMB in Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) here was established to aid in the nutrition and protection of babies especially those who are born prematurely and undernourished. In a country often plagued by natural disasters, HMBs also play a vital role in ensuring that babies

National Action Plan Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Secretary Vicencio Dizon. (PGIN-CMO photo) By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—As the province of Ilocos Norte re-strategize to prevent and contain the novel coronavirus infection here, National Action Plan Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Secretary Vicencio Dizon assured officials and residents they are on the priority list to avail of the vaccine once it is available in the country. Mr. Dizon and other members of the National Task Force on Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) were in Laoag City on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 to augment the on-going containment strategies being implemented amid surge of cases of COVID-19 in the province. In a meeting held at the Laoag City Centennial Arena, Mr. Dizon said getting vaccinated is the surest way to move on from the pandemic. “Ilocos Norte is one of our priority areas specially for our front-liners. Hopefully, the vaccine will arrive by th

By Bernardo B. Ver II  (Contributor) Senator ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos called on the government to prepare for a possible spike in COVID-19 cases after Christmas, even as community quarantines remain in place and a karaoke ban and the use of ‘yantok’ are being considered to enforce health protocols. Ms. Marcos said the public’s “quarantine fatigue” amid muted festivity this Christmas could swell infection rates that remained “significantly high” at the end of November, particularly in Metro Manila, Batangas, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Tacloban City, Iligan City, and Lanao del Sur. “Let’s already settle what contact-tracing system should be put in place, contingency measures in hospitals if critical levels are reached, coping mechanisms that can be devolved to local government units,” the senator noted. “We are likely to remain in a public health emergency until next year, yet Bayanihan 2 is already due to expire when Congress adjourns next week,” she pointed out. Th