IATF notes improving COVID indicators
THE Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has downgraded National Capital Region (NCR) and seven provinces to Alert Level 2 amid an improvement in their coronavirus disease (COVID-19) indicators.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who is also IATF co-chairman, said the new alert status will be effective from February 1 until 15.
Aside from Metro Manila, the other provinces and cities reverted to Alert Level 2 are Batanes, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Biliran, Southern Leyte and Basilan.
Nograles said the IATF has yet to decide on the alert level classification of Ifugao, which is under Alert Level 4 until today.
Nograles said the NCR, Central Luzon and Calabarzon recorded declining average daily attack, growth, and hospitalization rates in the past weeks. He did not provide specific figures.
Data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that as of January 29, the average daily attack rate in Metro Manila is at 23.01 percent from 31.13 percent on January 27, and the hospital utilization care rate is at 40 percent or at low risk.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Metro Manila’s alert status was downgraded because of its improved attack and healthcare utilization rates and declining COVID-19 cases.
“We have metrics which we use in arriving at the alert level status (of areas). For the NCR, we’ve seen the COVID-19 cases have gone down and the classification of NCR now is moderate-risk. Its two-week growth rate has gone down, and the average attack rate also went down,” said Año.
“And most importantly, the total bed utilization rate is now at 49.98 percent only and its ICU (intensive care unit) utilization as of January 28 is at 40.70 percent,” he added.
He said the improved figures in the region qualified it to be placed under Alert Level 2.
Under the metrics used by the IATF, an area is placed under Alert Level 3 if its bed and ICU bed capacities are at 70 percent.
Año said that while many are still getting infected in Metro Manila, “the healthcare facilities are not overwhelmed.”
“As of now, the cases are going down and our healthcare utilization rate are okay, so we can manage this… But if the cases go up and our healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed again, that’s another story. We will resort back to Alert Level 3,” said Año.
Under the IATF guidelines issued in December last year, indoor operating capacity of businesses in areas under Alert Level 2 is allowed up to 50 percent but limited to fully vaccinated individuals, while outdoor capacity is up to 70 percent for both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated.
The guidelines also allow the conduct of limited face-to-face or in-person classes for basic education, and for higher education and technical-vocational education and training, subject to prior approval of the Office of the President.
Government agencies are likewise permitted an 80 percent on-site workforce.
Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) member Dr. Rontgene Solante said despite the improving indicators, the public should continue to follow minimum health protocols such as the wearing of face masks and observe physical distancing.
Solante, in an interview with radio DzBB, said unvaccinated individuals should get inoculated while those who are fully vaccinated should get their booster.
ALERT LEVEL 3
The IATF decided to retain Alert Level 3 from February 1 until 15 in Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Kalinga and Mountain Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan in the Ilocos region; Santiago City, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Cagayan Valley; and Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales in Central Luzon.
Also under Alert 3 are Batangas, Laguna, Lucena City and Quezon Province in Calabarzon; Romblon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Puerto Princesa City in Mimaropa; and Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Naga City and Sorsogon in the Bicol region.
In the Visayas, under Alert level 3 during the same period are Aklan, Antique, Bacolod City, Capiz, Iloilo City, Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Guimaras in Western Visayas; Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Bohol, Cebu province, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in Central Visayas; and Ormoc City, Tacloban City, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar and Western Samar in Eastern Visayas.
In Mindanao, under Alert Level 3 are Isabela City, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay in the Zamboanga Peninsula; Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental in Western Mindanao; Davao City, Davao Del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro in the Davao region; General Santos City, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat in Soccsksargen; Surigao del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Butuan City in Caraga; and
Maguindanao, Cotabato City and Lanao Del Sur in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
METRO MANILA
Año said more people are expected to go out of their homes following the downgrade of the region’s alert status.
“We expect that with Alert Level 2, people will flock to malls, public places, the work force capacity (of establishments) will increase and there will be many movements (of people),” he said.
While he acknowledged that this could lead to a spike in infections, Año said: “Just the same, let’s monitor, we’ll see what needs to be adjusted. The IATF and the National Task Force (will) meet every week, we will make adjustments if there are areas where we need to tighten or loosen (protocols).”
The Metro Manila Council will meet “in the coming days” to discuss other strategies to adopt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Chris Saruca, head of the MMC Secretariat, said local executives in Metro Manila have the authority to impose restrictions in their jurisdictions, subject to the approval of the regional IATF, to control the spread of the virus.
QUARANTINE
Solante said the government has put in place enough safeguards to prevent another surge in cases, as he defended the government’s decision to drop the mandatory facility-based quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated inbound foreigners and returning overseas Filipino (ROFs) starting February 1
Solante, in an interview with radio DzBB, said among these safeguards are the required negative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) results taken at least 48-hours before departure, to be submitted by incoming travelers, apart from their being fully vaccinated.
Solante said all travelers are required to self-monitor for seven days from the date of arrival and report to their local government unit (LGU) should they exhibit any symptoms.
Under the new IATF guidelines, only unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers are required to undergo facility-based quarantine until they get a negative RT-PCR test result to be taken on the fifth day after their arrival.
Solante said allowing the entry of foreign travelers including tourists will help stimulate the recovery of the country’s economy. — With Victor Reyes and Noel Talacay
