MANILA, Philippines — OCTA Research on Sunday said Metro Manila and eight other priority areas for COVID-19 vaccination can reach herd immunity by Christmas, but stressed that the threat of the Delta variant should be kept out of the country. "[But] this does not take into effect the Delta variant." The priest-scientist also explained that besides the threat of the Delta Variant, its mutation Delta Plus, a sub-lineage, is spreading in other countries. "Now, the question is the threat of the Delta or the Delta Plus," Austriaco said. "We have to protect ourselves from the Delta variant and it is hopeful that government has already been able to block 17 cases," he added.

Source: Philippine Star June 27, 2021 03:33 UTC