Pangilinan: Extreme precaution, learn from COVID to
prepare for new potential swine flu

SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday urged the government to exercise extreme precaution as news of a new swine flu that has pandemic potential was reported in China. He calls for the setting up of a Philippine version of the United States' Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Kagaya ng marami ay nababahala rin kami sa balitang mayroon na namang nadiskubreng bagong uri ng swine flu sa China na may potensyal na maging pandemya. Ngayon pa lang ay dapat maghanda na ang pamahalaan sa maraming posibilidad bago pa man kumalat ito," Pangilinan said.

"Itaguyod na ang ating sariling Center for Disease Control and Prevention," he added.

Scientists from various Chinese universities and China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a study on June 29 in the science journal PNAS about a new type of swine flu, named "G4," that is genetically descended from the H1N1.

According to said study, G4 was observed to be highly infectious and that humans' immunity to the seasonal flu does not offer protection against it.

"Kailangan nating paigtingin ang ating disaster and pandemic response. Nahuli at natunganga ang pamahalaan ng maraming linggo bago ang local transmission ng COVID. Hindi napaghandaan nang maayos. Nasayang ang oras. Hindi dapat maulit ito. Kailangang handa. Kailangang mabilis. Kailangang may buo at malinaw na plano na science-based at pinag-aralan ng mga tunay na eksperto," Pangilinan said.

Though it is yet to be proven if G4 can be passed from humans to humans, tests show that as many as 4.4% of the population appeared to also have been exposed.

The senator also cautioned about the potential effects this may bring to the poultry industry.

"Kailangan ding maging handa sa suporta para sa poultry industry kung sakali mang kumalat pa ito sapagkat ang kanilang mga baboy at kabuhayan ang tatamaan. Kagaya sa mga nakaraang swine flu, we had to cull thousands of pigs and ban pork from various areas. Ang ating mga backyard hog raisers ang tinamaan. How do we help them?" Pangilinan said.

The Philippines has been battling the most recent African Swine Fever where as much as 69 outbreaks have still been observed in March of this year. Already over 250,000 pigs have been culled since the outbreak was declared in August 2019.