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Amid  COVID-19, gov't is preparing for 'new normal'—DOH

By Nidz Godino

"We are preparing for this so-called new normal. Let us remember that Alert Level 1 is the new normal in the country ," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Philippine government is now preparing for Alert Level 1 and eventual transition of  COVID-19 pandemic to endemic state.

In a media briefing,  Vergeire said Alert Level 1 would be the country's "new normal." It is declared when case transmission is low and decreasing, and total bed utilization and intensive care unit utilization rates are likewise low.

Vergeire said under  new normal, restrictions will be very specific or will only be implemented in areas with high risk of infection, while  capacity limit in establishments, whether indoor or outdoor, and in transportation will be removed.

"But what would be retained would be our self-regulation, we still follow  minimum public health standard, we still do masking, we still do hugas, iwas sa matataong lugar, physical distancing, and most importantly, of course, ventilation, air flow," she said.

Vergeire said should government ease restrictions, the mandatory wearing of face masks would be the last to go.

"Because it will protect each and every one of us kung saka-sakali, and also not just for COVID-19 but also for the other respiratory infections also," she said.

For his part, Dr. Edsel Salvana of the DOH-Technical Advisory Group said  easing of the rule regarding face mask would be done gradually.

"Maybe outdoors first before the indoors, and the vulnerable population may possibly hang on to their masks a little longer…and for instance, during long trips in airlines," he said.

Vergeire said they are also working on making private establishments and public spaces safe to the public through issuance of Safety Seals.

The National Capital Region is under alert level 2 until February 15.

In the same briefing, Vergeire said all regions in the Philippines are now at low to moderate risk for COVID-19 aside from Region XII.

Low risk means  average daily attack rate (ADAR) in an area is less than 1 per 100,000 population while moderate risk means it is between 1 to 7.

Meanwhile, though the government cannot yet declare  COVID-19 has become an endemic in the country due to uncertain factors, Vergeire said they are nonetheless preparing for the eventuality.

"We are now preparing and transitioning so if and when we reach this point, we are ready...so we are having this transition and planning towards what should be the new normal in the country," she said.

Last week, Vergeire clarified the meaning of an endemic state amid calls to shift from pandemic to endemic.

"In other words, the term endemic is used if  community accepts that  virus will become  part of our daily lives," she said.

"endemic means we have accepted that the virus will always be there," she later added. 

The  Philippine National Police (PNP) said number of areas under granular lockdown due to COVID-19 has increased to 449 from 393

Based on the PNP data as of Thursday, 290 of these areas are in Cordillera, 111 in Ilocos, 22 in Cagayan, 21 in the National Capital Region, four in Mimaropa, and one in Zamboanga.

A total of 803 people are affected by the restrictions, the PNP said.

The PNP has deployed 177 personnel and 435 force multipliers in the locked down areas to enforce minimum health standards.

Local government units (LGUs) decide whether to impose or lift granular lockdown on a house, compound, street, or building based on the number of infections reported.

Granular lockdowns are micro-level area COVID-19 quarantines for "critical zones" in LGUs.

On Thursday, the DOH reported 4,575 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the country's total cases to 3,627,575. Of the number, 93,307 are active cases.

4,575 new COVID-19 cases reported; active tally at 93KMA. ANGELICA GARCIA, GMA NewsThe new infections brought the active case count to 93,307, of which 3,316 are asymptomatic; 85,244 are mild; 1,...

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