The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday urged local government units (LGUs) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to boost existing precautionary measures and vaccination efforts, amid reports of another possible wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in South Africa.
"We are urging our LGUs to strengthen their existing precautionary measures and strategies on the possibility of local transmission of the Covid-19 Omicron variant following the reports of the Department of Health (DOH) of the possibility of a fifth wave in South Africa due to an increase in the Covid-19 Omicron variant of concern sublineages BA.4 and BA.5," Araceli San Jose, regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said in an advisory.
San Jose, who is also the chairperson of the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 (RIATF), said based on the letter from the Department of Health and DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco Densing III, the rising cases in other parts of the world may have an impact on the Philippines.
She said LGUs need to evaluate and strengthen the minimum public health standards (MPHS), even in areas under Alert Level 1.
San Jose said LGUs should also establish systems, augment and preposition equipment and supplies, and personnel for referral, emergency, and possible surge response.
She emphasized the importance of strengthening the LGUs' surveillance activities and reporting any rapid increases in hospitalizations to the DOH Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.
Earlier, DOH-CAR assistant regional director Dr. Amelita Pangilinan reiterated that the proper use of a face mask is still the best protection against Covid-19.
Based on the DOH Regional Covid-19 Case Bulletin, as of May 11, 2022, 79.19 percent or 1,173,465 fully vaccinated individuals of the target population in the region has been fully vaccinated.
A total of 290,340 residents have received their booster shots.
Source: Philippines News Agency
