Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (File photo)
MANILA – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday the National Capital Region (NCR) is "ripe" for deescalation to Alert Level 1.
NCR’s current two-week growth rate is negative and average daily attack rate is at moderate risk, Duque said during a televised public briefing.
“Kapag ibinangga mo 'yung dalawa, ang katumbas is a low-risk classification; samantalang ang kanilang healthcare utilization rate naman ay below 30 percent, so mababa din, low risk (Putting both factors against each other, the result is a low-risk classification; while its healthcare utilization rate is below 30 percent, it’s also low, low risk),” he added.
However, the region must be able to vaccinate against coronavirus 80 percent of its senior citizens and 70 percent of its target population to achieve a less restrictive alert level.
NCR’s senior citizen target population is 1,222,154. Out of the total number about 1,025,000 are fully vaccinated, which translates to 83.90 percent coverage.
“So, sa kanilang pangkalahatan naman, 'yung target population, lampas na sila sa 80 percent. In fact, ang NCR 100 percent nga of its target population (generally, with its target population, it has exceeded 80 percent. In fact, NCR is 100 percent of its target population, fully vaccinated – ito ay 101.66 percent to be exact),” Duque said.
He added that the IATF would discuss other areas that may have reached the metrics and are also ready for de-escalation to Alert Level 1.
To avoid an uptick in cases in areas scaling down to Alert Level 1, Duque said minimum public health standards must be observed strictly.
Consequently, the IATF will review its omnibus guidelines on the alert level system.
“We will be more specific in terms kung ano ba 'yung mga activities (We will be more specific in terms of [the kind of] activities [for the public] that will be allowed,” Duque said.
Intensify testing
Meanwhile, former PNP chief and senatorial candidate Guillermo Eleazar said Covid-19 testing efforts should be further intensified by the government to detect more people who are infected with the disease.
Eleazar made the appeal after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised concern about fewer people around the world who are subjecting themselves to virus tests.
“Now is not the time for us to be complacent. Kahit na maganda na ang numero sa halos lahat ng rehiyon sa Pilipinas at pababa na ang mga kaso, hindi pa rin maiaalis ang katotohanan na narito pa rin ang Covid-19 (the cases of Covid continue to decrease but still the Covid-19 still here in our country),” Eleazar, who is running in the May 9 elections, said.
“We still need to be careful and part of the precaution is testing so that we can detect who is affected by the disease. Let’s not let the disease spread and have new mutations just because we don’t want to test anymore,” he added.
Eleazar cited the situation in other countries where Covid-19 testing was made compulsory.
“Kung gagayahin natin ang ibang bansa, dapat ay masiguro na ang pagpapa-test ay gagawing libre o abot-kaya para sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino. Huwag na sana natin itong gawing dagdag-gastos pa para sa ating mga kababayan na karamihan ay financially challenged na dahil sa pandemya (If we imitate other countries, we must ensure that testing will be made free or affordable for ordinary Filipinos. Let's not make it an additional cost for our countrymen who are mostly financially challenged due to the pandemic) ,” he noted.
Eleazar emphasized the importance of getting the primary series of vaccine and booster shots so that an individual will have an added layer of protection against Covid-19.
Eleazar previously called for the establishment of more community hospitals to accommodate Covid-19 patients and intensify the "Resbakuna sa Botika" program where an individual can get their vaccines in private pharmaceutical companies. (with report from Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
