Public urged to ‘sustain gains’ as PH Covid-19 curve flattens

HANDWASHING AREA. Two women use the handwashing station provided by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) before they enter the building on Thursday (August 20, 2020). The government is urging the public to practice regular handwashing to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease. (PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.)

MANILA – Malacañang on Monday urged the public to “sustain the gains” in preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) after experts announced that the Philippines has flattened the Covid-19 curve.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque attributed the decision to revert Metro Manila and nearby provinces to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) on Aug. 4-18 to the slowdown of the infection rate.

He acknowledged the “good job” done to slow the fast-spreading contagion but also reminded the public to continue observing quarantine protocols to ensure that they are able to maintain this accomplishment.

“Ang hamon po sa atin ay sana magpatuloy po iyong gains natin bagama’t tayo po ay nasa GCQ na muli (The challenge now is to sustain our gains even if we are already under GCQ),” he said in a virtual presser.

Roque said the wearing of face masks and face shields, frequent handwashing, physical distancing are vital in helping the country flatten the curve.

Last Sunday, University of the Philippines professor and OCTA Research Team fellow Dr. Guido David said the country’s Covid-19 reproductive number has lowered to around 0.95 from 0.99 in the past week.

David also said the positivity rate went down from 19 percent to the current 12 percent.

However, he warned Filipinos not to be too complacent since the trend can be reversed “at any time.”

Currently, Metro Manila and the province of Bulacan are under general community quarantine (GCQ) until Sept. 30.

The province of Batangas along with the cities of Tacloban and Bacolod are also placed under GCQ while Iligan City is the lone area placed under stricter MECQ.

The rest of the Philippines are placed under modified GCQ.

As of Sunday, health authorities recorded 237,365 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 184,687 recoveries and 3,875 deaths.