Obey health protocols to avoid post-holiday Covid-19 surge: PRRD

FILE: SOCIAL DISTANCING. Shoppers practice social distancing while waiting for their turn to enter the supermarket at Fisher Mall in Quezon City on Wednesday (April 22, 2020). Social distancing is one of the measures of the enhanced community quarantine to reduce risk of spreading Covid-19. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – As people started to fill shopping centers to avoid the holiday rush, President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his call to strictly follow minimum health protocols to prevent a post-Christmas holiday surge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

“So mga kababayan, importante the washing of hands, social distancing, ‘wag na lumapit (So, my countrymen, washing of hands is very important, social distancing, don’t get closer),” Duterte said after listening to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s reports about the government’s mitigation response against the Covid-19 pandemic during his talk to the nation from Davao City on Monday night.

Duque reported that the country’s Covid-19 cases continue to decrease and the recovery rate has now reached 92 percent.

“Mr. President, this 92 percent recovery rate ay dahil po sa dumaang pang panahong, ang ating mga kababayan ay naniwala sa (is because the people believed in) minimum health standards like wearing of face mask and face shield, washing of hands, physical distancing and disinfection,” Duque told the President.

He added that the DOH has issued a circular reiterating the importance of following the minimum health protocols, especially during the Christmas holidays.

Duterte urged the public to help the military and police stop the Covid-19 infection by staying inside their homes if there are no reasons for them to venture outside.

“As I have said, try to understand the police and military. They are really the errand boys of the republic. Huwag na ninyo pahirapan mga police kung wala na kayong gagawin. ‘Wag na kayo mag-inom tapos magkagulo (Don’t make life difficult for our police if you have nothing to do outside. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages that will result in chaos),” Duterte said.

He said people should consider the sacrifices that the military and police have done especially during the successive typhoons that devastated the country.

“Ponder on the things that they have done in the past several days and you would really understand they are the true workers of the government, sila nauna sa bagyo, landslides, naghuhukay, lahat (They go out first during typhoons, landslides, digging, everything). You love your police and military,” Duterte said.

On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 135 new recoveries, increasing the overall tally of Covid-19 recovered cases nationwide to 386,604.

The DOH also logged 1,799 new cases and 50 new deaths. These figures brought the total number of active cases to 25,837 and the death toll to 8,173.