IT IS better to be conservative about the current situation than let loose and find yourself becoming the next victim of the coronavirus. As we can see in the data and the situations, it is still not safe.
The modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) in the province and city is not a guaranty that we have been reprieved by the coronavirus. Its attack on individuals is relentless that hospital bed capacities for Covid-19 are already exhausted.
Sunstar’s Melinda Pedrosa reported Wednesday last week, citing Dr. Romela Tiples-Ruiz, infectious diseases specialist and president of Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Negros Occidental, that based on records of One Hospital Command Center, all Bacolod hospitals have already reached full bed capacity allocated for Covid-19. The report also said that many are waitlisted in these hospitals. Should spaces be available, there are no available health workers because they are either exposed or still in isolation.
The Inquirer also reported that as per data from the Department of Health (DOH) as of June 2, eight of 15 hospitals in Metro Manila that had been on critical status before, are now 100 percent full.
The situation may send a mixed signal and may be construed differently considering that the number of cases every day may be lower than the usual five-digit figures when the new surge happens in Metro Manila.
The simple idea suggests why figures play within the 7,000 per day level, it is because the number of cases in the cities and provinces increased. Iloilo City is one example that requested that it’d be reverted to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), which was approved by the National Inter-Agency Task Force. Recent reports said that the city government of Iloilo would be requesting for extension of the MECQ because their health facilities are overwhelmed due to many cases brought to the city from neighboring provinces of Aklan, Antique and even Guimaras.
Our neighbor province, Negros Oriental, is also experiencing increase in its number of cases. The doctors in Dumaguete City called for higher level of quarantine for the city and province, citing as basis the daily attack rate of 8.12, which is higher than 7 or the determinant they are in critical situation.
My home institution, the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, recently released the advisory on a 12-day freeze and a Stay-at-Home protocol. According to the advisory, the intent was to provide the faculty and staff with the options to address their mental health and wellness and prevent the cycle of local transmission, particularly inside the campus. Our president, Dr. Nomer Mangulabnan, and the vice-president for academic affairs, Dr. Jay Estrellas, had long returned to work after they recovered from Covid-19.
It is to note that while we are in the middle of MGCQ, behind us is the increasing number of cases that require hospital admissions. Though we are partly allowed to move freely, we could hear reports that friends have been tested positive for Covid-19. Subtly, the Covid-19 situations are telling us that behind the relaxed impression, more cases are detected and needs hospitalization.
Secondly, our minds on the vaccine may imply confidence. I knew friends just last week who are now in quarantine or on isolation because they too are positive even they received either the first or second dose of the vaccine.
It is laudable that the city government of Bacolod is doing good in its vaccination activities. The other day the city received additional 10,000 doses of Sinovac from the national government. At least we have our share of fulfilling the desired herd immunity for the Filipinos, which recent data show 1 percent of our total population received two doses.
In case we felt relieved because of the MGCQ and our vaccination, our hospital beds for Covid-19 are full and this is the best reminder that we are not yet off of the hook.