(Eagle News) – The Philippine government has added a new metric before an area such as the National Capital Region (NCR) could be deescalated to Alert Level 1.
Secretary Francisco Duque III of the Department of Health (DOH) said that aside from decreasing number of new cases, declining Covid positivity rate, and low-risk health care utilization rates, 80 percent of the senior citizens and other vulnerable groups such as those with comorbidities should have been already vaccinated.
This new metric was introduced by Secretary Vince Dizon, the Presidential Adviser for Covid-19 response, Duque reported to President Rodrigo Duterte during the latter’s Talk to the People on Monday, February 21.
The DOH chief said that while they at the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) are studying the possibility of de-escalation for Metro Manila from Alert Level 2 to 1, this additional metric – of at least 80 percent vaccination of the elderly (A2) and those with comorbidities (A3) – is an important factor to consider by the IATF.
“At ito ay pinag-aaralan ngayon ng mga eksperto na gumagabay po sa ating IATF at tinitingnan na po kung malapit nang mag-deescalate po tayo from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1,” Duque said.
“Ngunit iminungkahi po ni Secretary Vince Dizon na kinakailangan sa ibabaw ng lahat nitong mga panukatan na ito na atin pong ginagamit, idadagdag din po natin na bago makapag-deescalate to Alert Level 1, kinakailangan 80 porsiyento ng atin pong A2 and A3 ‘yung mga vulnerable groups — ito po ‘yung mga senior citizens and individuals with comorbidities — na dapat 80 percent of the eligible,” he explained.
Duque said that if this 80 percent vaccination rate for these A2 and A3 groups would not be reached in areas under Alert Level 2, then these areas would not be deescalated to Alert Level 1. All metrics should be achieved to be able to determine if an area is “ripe” for an Alert Level 1 deescalation.
“Kung hindi po sila ay makarating diyan po sa panukatan na iyan ay hindi po natin sila puwedeng ibaba to Alert Level 1. So maganda po itong karagdagang metric na atin pong isasama sa pag-assess ng sino ba ang at ano ba ang mga lugar na hinog na for an Alert Level 1,” Duque told President Duterte.
According to the DOH, under an Alert Level 1, “intrazonal and interzonal travel shall be allowed without regard to age and comorbidities.”
All establishments, persons, or activities, are also “allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity provided it is consistent with minimum public health standards.”
However, face to face classes for basic education shall still be subject to prior approval of the Office of the President.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted the low vaccinationr rates of the country for the elderly. Health officials said at least 2.4 million senior citizens in the country have not yet been vaccinated.
(Eagle News Service)