Incoming admin to benefit from NTF, IATF pandemic strategies

MANILA – The government’s health authorities will make sure that the gains of the Covid-19 vaccination program and other pandemic responses would be sustained by turning over all programs to the next administration.

National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 medical adviser, Dr. Ted Herbosa, said during Saturday’s “Laging Handa” briefing that the whole pandemic response program of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the NTF, including disease surveillance and the prevention, detection, isolation, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies, would be handed over to incoming officials.

President Rodrigo Duterte will end his six-year term on June 30.

“They can use them because these are very effective. In fact, we have been recognized by other countries for our effective systems that have been conducted by local government units and other government agencies,” Herbosa said, partly in Filipino.

The fifth phase of the National Action Plan that focuses on economic recovery will also be endorsed to the next set of officials.

“Hopefully, the next administration will further expand the country’s economic recovery,” he added.

Herbosa likewise expressed hope that the next administration would continue to expedite the vaccination program on the way to reaching the 90 million target for population protection against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The government is already administering second booster shots to immunocompromised individuals, health care workers, and senior citizens.

It is targeting about 12 million elderly people and 10 million health care workers.

Herbosa cited a slight increase in Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila but “still not enough to alarm the health authorities.”

The daily average of new Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila increased by 19 percent from May 13 to 19 at 71, higher than the 59 logged from May 6 to 12.

“We will just identify where these cases are coming from so that we can make sure to isolate them and control the risks,” he added.