Año: Metro still at moderate risk
INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday said the Alert Level 2 quarantine status in the National Capital Region might be extended beyond Tuesday, February 15, because the region is still at moderate risk from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections.
Año, a key member of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the new alert status of Metro Manila from February 16 to 28 would be discussed by the task force today, Monday.
Cabinet Secretary and IATF co-chair Karlo Nograles, meanwhile, said the government will announce today the alert levels for NCR and other areas in the country from February 16 to 28.
The IATF met last Thursday to assess the situation in different parts of the country and held another meeting over the weekend to examine the latest data to decide on the alert levels.
Metro Manila shifted to Alert Level 2, from Level 3 in January, following the declining number of COVID-19 cases, high vaccination rate, and low hospital utilization rates.
“One of the main topics is if Metro Manila is now ready for Alert Level 1. We have no answer to that as of now. Let’s just wait for the presentation of the technical working group on data analytics to determine if it’s ready,” said Año.
Citing information from the Department of Health, Año, however, said Metro Manila is still at moderate risk.
“It’s (NCR) not yet at low risk so it’s possible we will remain under Alert Level 2, especially now that we are in the campaign period for national candidates (for the May elections),” said Año. “If we go on Alert Level 1, it’s only the minimum public health standards that will be left (as a precaution), almost everything is allowed, almost 100 percent of activities are allowed.”
Año implied the country is not yet ready to observe only the minimum public health standards, where wearing of face masks and physical distancing are the only remaining measures against COVID-19, adding it will be “scary” scenario.
“Remember, we just came from Alert Level 3 before going to Alert Level 2. We have to study this carefully. We have to do it (shift to Alert Level 1) slowly, phase by phase, based on science,” said Año.
He added the country wants to avoid another surge of COVID-19 that could overwhelm the healthcare system, adding NCR’s possible shift to Alert Level 1 has to be “carefully studied” first.
“The average daily attack rate in Metro Manila is still at 10.5 percent. We have to be seven (percent) or below before we can say we are safe. That is the mark needed before we go to Alert Level 1,” said Año.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion has been calling for the downgrade of NCR’s status to Alert Level 1 to further boost the country’s economic recovery.
Año said that while they understand what the economic sector is saying, “we want it done gradually so that we won’t regret in the end.”
“We were hit by Omicron and at present we’re in a good situation, the numbers are going down. There is a spike in cases in Singapore, Japan, and South Korea because of Omicron.
That means it’s not over so we have to remain vigilant,” Año said, adding another way of getting NCR or any other area to Alert Level 1 is to “finish” the vaccination in the region. — With Jocelyn Montemayor.
