TWO developments in the nation’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic appear to be not on the same page.
First, the powerful Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) which handles the overall strategy in this national effort approved last Saturday the nationwide implementation of the alert level system, and this was implemented yesterday, Nov. 22.
Second, there has been a marked increase in the number of COVID-19 infections in the country, with the Department of Health (DOH) logging 2,227 new cases of COVID-19 last Sunday, Nov. 21.
The latest figure pushed the total number of COVID-19 cases to 2,826,410, with 21,101 of them active.
Of the active cases, 61.2 percent were mild and asymptomatic, 20.3 percent were moderate, 13 percent were severe, and 5.5 percent were critical.
‘While reopening of the economy
is important, we would like to see
the IATF consider the scientific
data available on the ground, before further imposing less restrictions.’
An announcement by acting presidential spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said the IATF identified the following areas under Alert Level 2: Benguet, Abra and Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan and Occidental Mindoro in Region 4-B; Butuan City, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte in Region 13 (Caraga); and Basilan, Cotabato City, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Under Alert Level 3 are Apayao, Mountain Province and Ifugao in CAR; Dinagat Islands in Caraga; and Sulu in BARMM.
There seems to be a disconnect in the way the government, through the IATF, is perusing data to arrive at mobility restriction policies. We recall that the system shifted the focus on granular lockdowns from the previous community-wide quarantine restrictions. The present policy direction is towards easing mobility of citizens, and reopening the economy towards the much-touted recovery.
While reopening of the economy is important, we would like to see the IATF consider the scientific data available on the ground, before further imposing less restrictions. As they have the mandate to change alert levels and community quarantine classifications even without the approval of President Duterte, this panel should consider not just the infection rate but also the hospital bed utilization, the number of deaths from COVID-19, contact tracing and testing capability of all regions, in their decisions.
