VIOLATOR. Quezon City’s Task Force Disiplina lectures one of 27 safety protocol violators apprehended in Barangay Kaligayahan, Novaliches on Sunday (March 14, 2021). Most violations involved the non-wearing of masks. (Photo courtesy of QCTD Facebook)
MANILA – Complacency, failure to adhere to health protocols and the emergence of new variants contributed to the sudden surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday said the arrival of vaccines also contributed to the public’s relaxed attitude.
"Nung malaman nila na padating na yung vaccine, nakita natin parang nag-relax na 'yung mga tao. 'Yun din yung isang napansin (When the people found out that the vaccines are arriving, we noticed that the people have relaxed)," he said in a virtual press briefing.
Galvez reminded the public to continue adhering to the government's health and safety protocols.
He said people should "make it an obligation" to wear masks and face shields as well as practicing social distancing at all times.
Getting Covid-19 vaccine shots will give additional protection, Galvez reiterated, but there is still the need to observe the minimum health standards.
"We cannot equate the rise of Covid-19 cases to the economic opening as we see there could be more lapses on the observation of the minimum health standards, that people became complacent following the arrival of the vaccines," Galvez said in Filipino.
He also cited the exposure of some Filipinos from abroad to the new variants as another factor in the increasing cases.
With 631,320 total infections as of Tuesday, there are still 57,736 active cases. However, 96.6 percent are mild or asymptomatic cases, according to the Department of Health. (PNA)
