QUEZON CITY, Mar. 30 (PIA) - Experts from the Department of Health (DOH) have called on public cooperation as government imposed a one-week stricter community quarantine classification in NCR Plus to stem the surge of COVID-19 cases.
The surge is caused by a combination of factors aggravated by the presence of variants that are highly transmittable, said DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman, a resource person during the Malacanang press briefing on Monday, March 29.
The breaches in the minimum public health standards (MPHS), and in the Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate strategies, increased mobility, and the decreased capacity for early detection, are all contributory to the surge, De Guzman said.
She emphasized that the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) aims to slow down the surge of cases, stop the spread of variants, allow the health system to recover, enhance the implementation of response strategies and protocols, and protect more lives.
Local government units have done their part, De Guzman added, by immediately by imposing granular lockdowns and fast-tracking vaccination.
She added that while the LGUs are providing immediate response, individuals should also do their part. For instance, close contacts of COVID-19 positive patients should cooperate with their barangays and seek help for possible isolation or quarantine.
Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-De la Paz, Executive Director of the National Institute of Health in UP Manila who is also a resource person in the said briefing explained that the variants of concern are highly transmittable. She also emphasized that adherence to the minimum public health standards and immediate detection of cases, enhanced contact tracing, and isolation will stop the transmission.
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr. said the conduct of parallel vaccination of priority A1 to A3 groups is part of the government’s strategy to contain the rising cases of COVID-19.
“Kasama ito sa ating expanded vaccination program, na tulad ng aking inanunsyo, simultaneous na po ang pagbabakuna. Kasabay ng Priority Group A1 or Healthcare workers ay pinapayagan na ang Priority Group 2 or Senior Citizens at Priority Group A3 or Population with Comorbidities,” explained Roque. (MCG/PIA-IDPD/DOH)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
0 Comments