Before Christmas comes, there will definitely be Christmas parties and gatherings left and right, as well as people crowding the mall to go shopping. But the Department of Health (DOH) reminded this Tuesday that it is still possible to maintain immunity against COVID-19 amid the easing of restrictions.
“Sana gawin ang parties sa open space. Kung sa kulob na lugar, buksan ang mga bintana at pinto para mag-circulate ‘yong air sa room. Siguraduhin na lahat ng a-attend, walang sintomas. If you know you’ve been exposed or may symptoms, ‘wag na mag-attend,” said DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
He said it is important for people to remember this now that there is a slight increase in cases of COVID-19 in different parts of the Philippines while the percentage of occupied beds in hospitals remains low.
It is also said that people should continue to be careful, especially now that the increase in cases of COVID-19 in China is also seen following the protests against the strict protocols.
According to Vergeire, as the disease continues to spread, there is an increasing chance that the virus will mutate, potentially causing a new variant.
DOH issues reminders on celebrations this holiday season
“We’ve experienced a lot of variants already. But still we have our cases manageable in the country because we are more prepared than before. More of our people are vaccinated, more still opt to wear the mask and that is good for us, said Vergeire.
Since the country is more prepared to respond to COVID-19 and many Filipinos have been vaccinated, there is no need to panic, according to the DOH.
In fact, in the next months, it is said to want to separate the alert level system and its associated restrictions.
“If we decouple these restrictions, we’ll be able to have that sense of normalcy,” said Vergeire.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government was instructed to talk to various local governments. The issue of alert levels will be discussed again at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) in January 2023.
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