“It is important that the DOH is agile based on our circumstances. Our focus has fittingly shifted towards saving lives while also protecting livelihoods,” ayon kay Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, Officer-in-Charge ng DOH.
Dagdag nito, “We are promoting vaccination on top of our usual health protocols, instead of imposing restrictions. While the new Omicron subvariants are indeed still spreading, cases have been reported to be mild and can be allowed to heal at home.”
Sa unang SONA ng Punong Ehekutibo, nabanggit nito na wala nang planong magpatupad ng lockdown sa bansa.
Nangako ang kagawaran na patuloy na magpapatuloy ang koordinasyon at deployment ng mga kinakailangang resources upang mapanatiling handa ang healthcare system sa pagresponde sa COVID at non-COVID cases.
Sinabi ng DOH na nananatili sa ‘low risk’ ang hospital admission rate sa bansa, habang nasa 8.69 porsyento lamang ang severe and critical cases ng total admissions hanggang Hulyo 26, 2022.
“This is because of high vaccination coverage,” paliwanag ng kagawaran.
Gayunman, ipinaalala ng DOH sa publiko na patuloy na sumunod sa minimum public health standards upang maiwasan ang posibleng hawaan.
Dagdag nito, palalakasin pa ang booster rollout sa buong bansa para lalong mapagtibay ang immunity ng mga Filipino laban sa nakahahawang sakit.
“We are grateful that President Marcos sees the true value of vaccination, especially as we must maintain a strong wall of immunity against COVID-19. We must protect ourselves to enjoy this new normal of face-to-face classes and open businesses,” ani OIC-Undersecretary Beverly Lorraine Ho mula sa Public Health Services Team.