Medical community is uncomfortable with AL 1 imposed
By Nidz Godino
“I don’t think anyone from health sector, magiging comfortable na marinig na magiging Alert Level 1 tayo,” Philippine College of Physicians president Dr. Maricar Limpin said all sectors must be well prepared before government eases quarantine curbs in the National Capital Region.
Limpin said idea of lowering alert level status in NCR makes health workers uncomfortable.
All sectors should be prepared, including education and transportation sectors, to ensure safety of everyone.
“Before we implement Alert Level 1, it’s better for us to prepare before restrictions are eased. Meaning, we should be well prepared — workplaces, schools, we have to ensure that everyone will stay safe as they go to work or to school so another surge doesn’t happen,” Limpin said.
Under Alert Level 1, all businesses and public transportation will be allowed to operate at capacity. Intrazonal and inter-zonal travel will also be allowed, regardless of a person’s age and comorbidity.
Since physical distancing rule will also be lifted, Limpin said it is important to ensure proper ventilation at schools, workplaces, public transportation and all closed spaces.
” What’s important here is proper ventilation in vehicles because you will be removing the physical distancing requirement, one of the 4 things that we should be following,” she said, noting that the face mask requirement would remain.
” We don’t want to experience another surge in COVID-19 cases because economy really won’t be able to survive another lockdown.”
The capital region’s positivity rate was at 4.9 percent, less than the 5 percent that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends.
The Philippines logged 1,019 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest daily tally so far this year, bringing the country’s total to 3,654,284.
The number of fresh infections is the lowest since December 29, when 889 cases were announced.
It is the 4th straight day that the daily tally remained below 2,000 and the 4th consecutive day it broke the record for fewest new cases, the group said.
The country saw surge in new infections beginning late December until January due to the omicron variant.
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