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Friday, March 29, 2024

DOH: No spikes in Level 1 areas

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The Department of Health has not seen any increase in COVID-19 cases, nearly two weeks after Metro Manila and 38 other areas were de-escalated to the lowest alert level, the agency spokesperson said Wednesday.

Government “strictly monitors” the public’s mobility with constant reminders for them to follow minimum health standards, said DOH spokesperson and Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

“At present, we have not seen any increase in COVID-19 cases since we have implemented Alert Level 1 in several areas in the country,” Vergeire said in a statement.

“The government strictly monitors the mobility of the public with incessant reminders on adherence to minimum public health standards as well as the national vaccination drive for those eligible to get inoculated,” Vergeire added.

The DOH earlier this week started releasing its COVID-19 case bulletins weekly instead of daily to focus more on severe and critical cases.

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The Philippines might log around 500 or fewer COVID-19 cases by the end of the month, according to independent monitoring OCTA Research Group.

The DOH has yet to release its forecast.

The National Capital Region and 38 other areas shifted to Alert Level 1 or the “new normal” on March 1, allowing businesses and public transportation to operate at full capacity.

Vaccination cards will no longer be required in public transportation but establishments such as gyms, restaurants, bars, and other enclosed spaces may require it, officials earlier said.

Meanwhile, the DOH said the government plans to prioritize inoculating individuals in remote and far-flung areas on its fourth wave of the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” national vaccination drive this month.

The government is eyeing to fully vaccinate 77 million Filipinos against COVID-19 by the end of March, and 90 million by the time President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office on June 30.

The priority for the fourth national vaccination drive will be senior citizens who have not yet completed their primary dose series and those set for booster shots, the DOH earlier said.

“The DOH, through the support of its partners, will reach remote and far-flung areas: locations where indigenous peoples reside and those living in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs),” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said they would conduct house-to-house vaccination to reach the senior citizens and boost the vaccination rollout among communities.

“In coordination with local government units, and the private sector, pharmacies, primary care clinics, and occupational health clinics, as well as air, sea, and transportation terminals are being utilized to reach more of the target population,” she said.

“The churches, parishes, and cathedrals are also extending its aid to serve as vaccination sites for a further reach of inoculation,” she added.

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