General Info

[Dick Milhous]

This matches the reporting we see in the UK, and the suggestion a booster of a different type is recommended. What we heard this week, is that 99% of the people dying are un-vaccinated. The UK is seeing on average around 120 deaths per day. I don't see when this will end, with vaccines needing a booster regularly and the world at different rates of progress.

FDA in US wisely just voted down boosters 16-2.

[PBtoCobra]

This is not new news, just news that people have tended to gloss over if not totally ignore. Remember a couple of weeks ago I posted a video of the CDC director talking about vaccines don't seem to be working in Israel for a couple seconds and the FDA people quitting because they want to push booster shots.

I know more people that have had covid after being vaccinated than people that have not been vaccinated and got covid. My cousin just told me yesterday that he had it and was vaccinated.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8BjQNUxhlpg

This matches the reporting we see in the UK, and the suggestion a booster of a different type is recommended. What we heard this week, is that 99% of the people dying are un-vaccinated. The UK is seeing on average around 120 deaths per day.

Yes, you can catch it after being vaccinated, but you are less likely to be hospitalised. I don't see when this will end, with vaccines needing a booster regularly and the world at different rates of progress. My Davao GF has had her two Chinese shots, but no idea when visitors will be allowed to visit.

[Mr Enternational]

The numbers don't lie. A study shows the Moderna vax and decreased effectiveness it is over time.

This is not new news, just news that people have tended to gloss over if not totally ignore. Remember a couple of weeks ago I posted a video of the CDC director talking about vaccines don't seem to be working in Israel for a couple seconds and the FDA people quitting because they want to push booster shots.

I know more people that have had covid after being vaccinated than people that have not been vaccinated and got covid. My cousin just told me yesterday that he had it and was vaccinated.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8BjQNUxhlpg

[WestCoast1]

The numbers don't lie. A study shows the Moderna vax and decreased effectiveness it is over time.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/moderna-a...223130015.html

From the article:

SNIP According to the data, which Moderna released Wednesday, a "study shows lower risk of breakthrough infection in participants vaccinated more recently (median 8 months after first dose) than participants vaccinated last year (median 13 months after first dose). A Moderna trial conducted over the summer, labeled Phase 3 COVE Study, revealed that "88 breakthrough cases of COVID-19 occurred in the more recently vaccinated group (49.0 cases per 1000 person-years) compared to 162 cases in the group vaccinated last year (77.1 cases per 1000 person-years)". SNIP

The research found that those who were vaccinated earlier on had a 50% higher rate of symptomatic breakthrough cases during the months of July and August compared to those who had received the vaccination later.

[WestCoast1]

NCR lockdown status changes tomorrow, from Sept 16 to 30th. Curfew goes from the current 8 pm to 10 pm start. Outdoor restos can seat up to 30% capacity, indoor restos at 10% (and only for the vaxxed). They have stopped using the ECQ / GCQ terminology, now calling it 'Alert Level', and using the term 'granular' to indicate that they will continue to hard lockdown homes, compounds, individual buildings, or neighborhoods as needed.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/09/...scheme/1814684

From the article "Metro Manila under Alert Level 4 starting Sept. 16 in new lockdown scheme":.

IATF OKs implementation of granular lockdowns

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos said curfew hours will be adjusted to 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. from the current 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Individuals below 18 years old, citizens above 65 years old, persons with immunodeficiencies, comorbidities, or other health risks, and pregnant women are prohibited from going out, "provided that they shall be allowed access to obtain essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and offices."

Outdoor exercises will also be allowed but shall be limited to the general area of residence and minimum public health standards shall be followed. Indoor visitor or tourist attractions; indoor spaces for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events; indoor entertainment and recreational venues; gaming establishments, except those previously approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force and the President; social gatherings; staycations; and sports and leisure centers are not permitted.

Outdoor dining services, personal care services, and religious gatherings will be allowed for up to 30 percent of their seating or venue capacity, regardless of vaccination status. Those indoors, meanwhile, can operate for up to 10 percent, but shall only cater fully inoculated individuals.

[Mdemde]

I read that Boracay is open for tourist at this moment.

As far as I am aware, the Philippines is still closed to foreign tourists and is likely to be closed for some time yet. The only people allowed to enter the country now are returning Filipinos, diplomats, air-crew, resident permit holders and those foreigners with either a Filipino spouse or parents or children of Filipino citizens.

If you are already in the country then in-country tourism is allowed (whether you are a local ie a Filipino, or a foreigner living here), but this is subject to the current lockdown regulations.

[BrizLad]

From previous mention about Israel's dramatic increase among vaxxed persons, an article from NPR explaining why.

Surely that article is conflating the topics and the fact as quoted in the article was that Israel was not at the vaccination level to achieve what they were trying to do. If at 100% efficacy any vaccine will have limited public health benefit at 58% population coverage.

Interesting time...now Israel is off my punter calendar

[WestCoast1]

From previous mention about Israel's dramatic increase among vaxxed persons, an article from NPR explaining why.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsan...ases-heres-why

From the article:

Israel had fully vaccinated slightly over half its population by March 25. Infections waned, venues reopened to the vaccinated and the prime minister told Israelis to go out and have fun. By June, all restrictions, including indoor masking, were abolished. But Israel paid a price for the early rollout. Health officials, and then Pfizer, said their data showed a dip in the vaccine's protection around six months after receiving the second shot. SNIP

It was a perfect storm: The vaccine's waning protection came around the same time the more infectious delta variant arrived in Israel this summer. Delta accounts for nearly all infections in Israel today. "The most influential event was so many people who went abroad in the summer vacations and brought the delta variant very, very quickly to Israel," said Siegal Sadetzki, a former public health director in Israel's Health Ministry. SNIP

The country jumped out ahead of all other countries on vaccines, and 78% of eligible Israelis over 12 years old are vaccinated. But Israel has a young population, with many under the eligible age for vaccination, and about 1.1 million eligible Israelis, largely between the ages of 12 and 20, have declined to take even one dose of the vaccine. That means only 58% of Israel's total citizenry is fully vaccinated. Experts say that's not nearly high enough.

[Steve Nash]

Lots of cases here (not the PI) of Quarantine security guards banging detainees, guys jumping balcony dividers or skipping bail to meet outside gfs.

One of the contractors actually lost a multi-million dollar contract because they couldn't control their horny employees.

I can see that happening, since security quarentine guards have more power to do whatever they want in those places, they know where the security cameras are, where the blind spots are, who is doing the rounds, what time exactly is safe for them to have sex.

Maybe I should get a partime job as a quarentine security guard, LOL. I talked to many of them and they seem to be new immigrants, most of them were Mexican, with less than 3 years in Canada, at least 3 of them told me that.

The advantage to hooking up there is that most of the single (women) travelers are more open minded when it comes to sex, even the western women, if they travel single to another country, they are looking to have adventure and of course many of them wild sex.

[PedroMorales]

Lots of cases here (not the PI) of Quarantine security guards banging detainees, guys jumping balcony dividers or skipping bail to meet outside gfs..

The San Fernando Valley should be on this. Make a change from pizza deliveries and lpumbers.

[Goferring]

I wonder if those hotels have a recreation area so you can chill with others, I remember last year when I came back from Philippines and I had to do 14 days quarantine in an airport hotel in Canada, we had 1 hour lunch and 2 breaks of 30 minutes to go outside and mingle and talk with other people in the hotel doing their quarantine (the recreation area was outdoors but had a fence/barrier of course) .

That will be a great chance to meet a girl and exchange numbers....

I know for sure there will be some OFW young ladies doing quarentine in those hotels. And if she is staying in the same floor even better.

Lots of cases here (not the PI) of Quarantine security guards banging detainees, guys jumping balcony dividers or skipping bail to meet outside gfs.

One of the contractors actually lost a multi-million dollar contract because they couldn't control their horny employees.

[Albert9989]

Yes exactly 10 days in a hotel where they will watch you closely, the other 4 days at home nobody will watch you because you had passed your covid test by the 10th day. So basically only 10 days.

I wonder if those hotels have a recreation area so you can chill with others, I remember last year when I came back to Canada from Philippines and I had to do 14 days quarantine in an airport hotel here, we had 1 hour lunch and 2 breaks of 30 minutes to go outside and mingle and talk with other people in the hotel doing their quarantine.

That will be a great chance to meet a girl and exchange numbers. I met a Chinese hairdresser that way, 37 years old divorced single mom, she look younger and had big boobs, strange for an asian. I got her number and we ended up hooking up on January, she even cut my hair when the hair salon were close for 8 months here in Canada.

I know for sure there will be some OFW young ladies doing quarentine in those hotels. And if she is staying in the same floor even better.

Hehe, new mongering strategy.

We have to adapt for sure.

[Steve Nash]

Correct me if I m wrong, 14 days mandatory quarantine is what I read from the official websites.

10 days minimum at dedicated hotels, balance 4 days can be at home according to LGUs but it's irrelevant to tourists.

Yes exactly 10 days in a hotel where they will watch you closely, the other 4 days at home nobody will watch you because you had passed your covid test by the 10th day. So basically only 10 days.

I wonder if those hotels have a recreation area so you can chill with others, I remember last year when I came back from Philippines and I had to do 14 days quarantine in an airport hotel in Canada, we had 1 hour lunch and 2 breaks of 30 minutes to go outside and mingle and talk with other people in the hotel doing their quarantine (the recreation area was outdoors but had a fence/barrier of course) .

That will be a great chance to meet a girl and exchange numbers. I met a Chinese hairdresser that way, 37 years old divorced single mom, she look younger and had big boobs, strange for an asian. I got her number and we ended up hooking up on January, she even cut my hair when the hair salon were close for 6 months here in Canada.

I know for sure there will be some OFW young ladies doing quarentine in those hotels. And if she is staying in the same floor even better.

[Datiao]

That sucks!

Is getting worse and worse. What about tourist destinations?



I just hope the 10 days quarantine will be shorten to a week or less, .

Correct me if I m wrong, 14 days mandatory quarantine is what I read from the official websites.

10 days minimum at dedicated hotels, balance 4 days can be at home according to LGUs but it's irrelevant to tourists.

[Steve Nash]

That description is typical of my experience both in the province for a year, and half that time in the city. My only slightly different perspective is that all areas will eventually be going thru the cyclical nature of GCQ (mild restrictions) / ECQ (strict). All of northern Mindanao is a good example, from Surigao to Iligan (each main city along that route has been in / out of ECQ / GCQ since the start. A month or 6 weeks of ECQ, a few months of GCQ. Rinse / Lather / Repeat. Here's the bad part: The slowness of the pace of getting more jabs into arms (regardless the reason) means that this could go on for more than just a matter of months. As we've mentioned before, leaders might just say "Eff it" and open borders. That said, even if the prodigal sons return, I am not sure there will be a fatted cow available for them to eat. Are you willing to fly here, isolate, skip the nightlife, order your food sent to your hotel / condo thru Grab Eats, be allowed only 1 guest in total to register in your hotel / condo, use ST hotels for all the other girls? Worse, if your area goes into hard lockdown, are you OK staying inside for a few weeks, only going out for the grocery store, pharmacy, or doctor? If you are only here for 1-3 weeks, is any of this trip wise from a cost / benefit analysis?

I get messages from the fellas sitting in their home countries, like this: "Certainly this can't last forever. Don't you think they will open up and allow tourists by THIS (or THAT) month?" Saying here the same thing that I reply back: I have no idea if that is how or when it will happen. Guessing that whenever the prodigal sons return, they will at first be walking into in-country travel bubbles (your trip will take you to a resort spot, and nowhere else) for a period of time. After that, other areas will be exposed to the foreigners, and they might be walking into the exact same situation myself, GE, or others have described.

Just for fun, see the pics. First and second pics are more recent Burgos pics. During the past 6 weeks of ECQ / MECQ, all restaurants are closed to sit-down dining. That eliminates the two previously opened places: The Cuervo Cantina and Bourbon. The only thing that is open, from Makati Ave to Kalayaan to Luna, are the 7-11's and Family Mart. The chismis from the bakla (9 or 10 on the Burgos / Durban corner) was that Ringside / Mixed Nuts was sold in mid 2020 and the buyer was wanting to make a legit restaurant, but nothing happened after that. To be fair, when NCR goes back to GCQ, Cuervo and Bourbon will re-open.

Last pic is Robinson's Malate, 3 weeks ago. Even after I posted the last set of Robinson's pics showing a desolate and mostly-closed mall, a day or two later and still mostly closed, were these long lines (floors 2, 3, 4) waiting for a vaccine. Even while mostly closed during ECQ (grocery store and a handful of coffee shops selling takeout were the only things open in the mall), they were having these mass-vax sites up and running. Now that we are at MECQ, many retailers have re-opened in the mall (still no resto sit-down until GCQ, for mall and the entire NCR). The no sit down is also for carindarias.

That sucks!

Is getting worse and worse. What about tourist destinations?

I read that Boracay is open for tourist at this moment, and that Palawan will be open soon too.

I hope it gets better by December, still 3 months to go.

Anyways, I'm still going there before Christmas and for 4 months at least, nothing will stop me from not going.

I just hope the 10 days quarantine will be shorten to a week or less, specially since Canada right now is a low risk country but is still not in the green list of countries for the Philippines.