The decision of the Department of Health to stop providing case bulletins and daily situation reports on the COVID-19 pandemic by Jan. 1, 2022 sends all the wrong signals at a time when more information, not less, is critical.
In an advisory issued Monday, the DOH said daily case updates could still be obtained through the COVID-19 tracker on its website, which is updated daily at 4 p.m.
“This public tracker, which has been operational since the start of the pandemic, contains all information being provided in the case bulletin and daily situation report. Hence, to streamline public communication, the case bulletin and the daily situation report will no longer be issued separately as [a] social media card and as [a] PDF file, respectively,” the advisory says.
Oddly, the announcement comes just as the country is bracing for the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Already, four imported cases have been detected, and it seems only a matter of time before it spreads to the local community.
Now, then, in the middle of a pandemic that is far from over, is not the time to reduce the channels of communication through which vital information can be disseminated.
Also, while the baseline data might be available somewhere on the DOH website, some of it is buried or difficult to find. For example, it is difficult to see on the web-based tracker how many new cases are reported on a given day, and how this number compares with the days previous.
There are also instances when, for any variety of reasons, that the website may be unavailable. In such instances, having a social media alternative or a PDF report would be helpful in filling the information gap.
Finally, having these alternative channels for information gives health officials the opportunity to highlight what they see as the most salient points in a sea of data.
Reacting to the DOH announcement, Senator Joel Villanueva says the daily COVID bulletins are a reminder to the public that the problem is not yet over and that they must continue to be careful and practice safety protocols.
Senator Francis Pangilinan added: “Accurate information on the spread of the disease is crucial in knowing whether or not the spread of the virus is being effectively addressed or not. Daily bulletins are necessary means of providing accurate, timely information to the public at large.”
The Palace has tried to defend the decision to stop posting daily COVID-19 bulletins on social media, saying that with vaccinations rising in the country, daily case reports may not be as relevant anymore.
This is a mistake and sends the wrong signal that we are already in the clear. As COVID-19 cases surge elsewhere in the world, is it really safe to assume we are somehow blessed, and that we will be immune from a resurgence of infections?
