PUBLIC WARNED ANEW ON POSSIBLE SURGE OF COVID-19 CASES

PUBLIC WARNED ANEW ON POSSIBLE SURGE OF COVID-19 CASES President Rodrigo Roa “Christmas time and New Year, President Duterte on Wednesday, is about a few days Duterte said citizens should December 16, once from now. Sundin lang still follow the minimum again appealed to the natin ‘yung culture. But health standards such public to obey health remember the word as social distancing, standards during holiday ‘but’, but there are rules frequent handwashing, celebrations to contain to be followed at this and wearing of masks the spread of the time of our national life,” to protect themselves coronavirus disease 2019 President Duterte said and their families from (COVID-19) while the during a public address the highly contagious government prepares and meeting with coronavirus. the country’s healthcare officials on government’s “So kayong mga system for the possible COVID-19 response. mag-asawa, kayong uptick in the number of While the country mga may mga anak: Be infections. celebrates Christmas careful. If your spouse got

it and you do not know, you sleep together, and both of you get infected, then that’s the end of the story of your life. Ang sama ang ending. Ang akin diyan ‘yung mga bata,” he said. “I’ll repeat: Please continue to obey the protocol,” he stressed. “Kayong mga kababayan ko, sumunod ho kayo sa mga patakaran ng gobyerno. Para sa inyong lahat ito. Kaunting tiis na lang. Nandiyan na ang bakuna.” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who was also present during the meeting, said the Department of Health (DOH) continues to scale up the country’s healthcare capacities in preparation for a possible increase in the number of COVID-19 cases during the holiday season. Duque said the country’s One Hospital Command Center and other health facilities, under the leadership of Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, are working to increase hospital utilization rates by providing more beds and mechanical ventilators. Duque added that they have coordinated with laboratories conducting COVID-19 tests to continue operating during the holidays. The Philippines is currently negotiating with pharmaceutical companies producing COVID-19 vaccines and mass inoculation could begin in March next year, according to vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. The country has 452,988 confirmed COVID-19 cases after the DOH reported 1,156 additional cases on Wednesday. The total death toll is at 8,833, while recoveries stand at 419,282. Of the total number of cases, 24,873 are active. PND