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MANILA, Philippines 鈥� A new SARS-CoV-2 variant 鈥渁s deadly as Delta鈥� may not occur in the next three months, an infectious disease expert advising the government on vaccination said Tuesday.
However, Dr. Rontgene Solante warned that another variant of concern might eventually emerge.
鈥淭here is still a possibility that another variant of concern may emerge, but the likelihood of a variant of concern as deadly as Delta may not be has a remote possibility that it will occur in the next three months because mayroon pa tayong (because we still have) protection against Omicron,鈥� Solante, chief of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Unit at the government-run San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, said in an interview with ABS-CBN鈥檚 Teleradyo.
Solante said that everyone should be vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent the emergence of a heavily mutated variant of concern. Earlier, the Vaccine Expert Panel member explained that coronavirus mutation might only happen among the unvaccinated and immunocompromised individuals.
READ: Expert鈥檚 warning: Coronavirus mutation can only happen among unvaccinated, immunocompromised
Solante said those infected during the surge of Omicron cases might also benefit from a 鈥渢emporary immunity.鈥�
鈥淪a dami ng nagka-infection, mayroon tayong temporary immunity because of that antibody. Pero ganoon pa man, kailangan pa rin magpabakuna para mas durable ang pagtagal ng immunity natin,鈥� he added.
(Because of the high number of infections, we have temporary immunity from that antibody. But we should still be vaccinated so that our immunity will be more durable.)
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