The current COVID-19 wave may last ''up to four or five months'' due to the Omicron subvariants, OCTA Research Fellow Guido David said Monday.

In a “Laging Handa” briefing, David said they were expecting a two-month COVID-19 wave due to BA.4 and BA.5 like in South Africa, but cases have not peaked.

“Right now, it’s looking like it will last up to four or five months. Well into the 'ber' months. It’s possible that our wave is prolonged because of maybe, the effects of BA 2.75 that is causing additional infections,” he said.

Waning immunity may also be causing prolonging of the wave, he told the briefing.

“Most of the people had their vaccines last year and only a few of them had their boosters. So there is waning immunity, our antibody levels are decreasing,” David said.

The Philippines recorded around 4, 621 COVID-19 cases on Sunday. Jaspearl Tan/DMS