Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has told Pasay City’s local officials that the fight against COVID-19 is not a sprint but a marathon that calls for endurance.
“It’s been five months for us battling this coronavirus disease. This is the profile of our battle. This is no longer just a sprint, it’s now a marathon, Duque said, emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s self healthy in this time of pandemic.
“We just have to recharge, re-energize, reconvene, review the plans, narrow them down, then execute,” Duque said.
The coordination meeting on August 7 with the Pasay City’s Task Force COVID was part of the National Task Force’s COVID-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) initiative that demonstrates active case finding strategies for the prevention and elimination of clusters.
“Active case finding” means systematic screening and clinical evaluation of patients in the community.
“In CODE,we collaborate with the national government, with local government ujnits spearheading the destruction of clusters…we will do house-to-house campaign to be led by our health workers, do symptom check, immediate isolation of those with symptoms or those sick and massive targeted testing where swabbing would be needed,” Duque said.
He also urged everyone to BIDA solusyon! (B-awal walang mask, I-sanitize ang kamay, D-uminstansya at A-lamin ang tamang impormasyon!) This according to him is the simplest yet proven measures to protect oneself.
During the CODE meeting, Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano reported how the ocal government manages COVID-19 cases in their jurisdiction.
She highlighted their executive ordinances, orders and resolutions that reinforced DOH’s protocols and guidelines on COVID-19.
She said they have also launched pro-active and aggressive information drive to educate Pasay residents on how to protect themselves from COVID-19.
As of August 6, 2020, Pasay City has 871 active cases; 788 of which are mild, 64 are asymptomatic, 5 are severe, and 14 are critical. It has one accredited RT-PCR laboratory, the Philippine Airport Diagnostics Laboratory.
Duque was joined by Contract Tracing Czar Benjamin Magalong, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, other DOH officials and WHO Country Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe.