ni Analou De Vera
MULING nasasaksihan ng Pilipinas ang pagtaas ng bilang ng bagong kaso ng coronavirus disease (COVID-19) na ibinabalita bawat araw. Dahil dito, marami ang nagtatanong kung nahaharap ba ngayon ang bansa sa second “wave” ng coronavirus dulot ng bagong pagtaas ng kaso.
Sa tatlong magkakasunod na mga araw, Marso 5 hanggang 7, naitala ng bansa ang 3,000 bagong impeksyon bawat araw. Ang huling beses na nagtala ng ganitong bilang ng kaso ang bansa ay noong Oktubre 2020.
Naranasan ng Pilipinas ang “surge” ng kaso noong Hulyo hanggang Agosto 2020—kung saan umabot sa 6,000 kaso ang naitala bawat araw.
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Sa gitna ng mga bagong pagtaas ng arawang kaso ng virus, sinabi ng Department of Health (DOH) na nais nitong lumayo sa paggamit ng terminong “wave.”
Sa isang text message sa Balita, sinabi ni DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, nitong Lunes, Marso 8, na: “The term wave does not have any epidemiologic definitions, that is why we don’t use it.”
“There is a marked increase in the number of cases and compared to the previous increase in cases last year, we can see similar trends in the number of cases,” dagdag niya.
Nitong Marso 7, inamin ni DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega na nakaaalarma ang pagtaas ng mga bagong kaso.
Sa kabila nito, siniguro naman niya na ipinatutupad ng mga ospital ang kinakailangan na precautionary measures. “If you look at the data…there is an increase in the number of active cases,” aniya. Gayunman, naniniwala naman si health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon na kinahaharap ngayon ng bansa ang second wave ng COVID-19 cases.
“We are on the second wave from the following metrics. This is a scary trend for COVID cases,” pahayag ng dating adviser ng National Task Force against COVID-19 sa isang text message.
Binanggit ni Leachon ang pagtaas ng bilang ng kaso sa nakalipas na tatlong araw, “high positivity rate of 9.2 percent,” at ang banta ng South African at United Kingdom variants ng coronavirus.
“Reports coming from medical colleagues and hospital leaders about disturbing increase in COVID cases with a healthcare system starting to be overwhelmed should not be ignored,” paalala ni Leachon.
“The threat of new variants is real and can’t be overemphasized. We need to be responsible citizens in following our health protocols. This is the time to be vigilant more than ever,” saad pa niya. Para naman kay Dr. Rontgene Solante, hepe ng Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine unit ng San Lazaro Hospital, “the increase in cases is significant enough to be called a second wave.” “Why second wave? Our cases have plateaued for the last three months, from November, December, and January – with a reproduction number of 1.2 to 1.3. We almost flattened the curve (in the) last three months,” aniya sa isang mensahe.
Saad niya, ang kasalukuyan bilang ng kaso sa bansa, “surged to the level we experienced last August.” Ano ba ang maaaring gawin upang malimitahan ang paglala ng sitwasyon?
Habang ipinaliwanag ni Solante ang kahalagahan ng patuloy na pagsunod sa minimum health standards. “This is always emphasized but people tend to relax in complying (with these) protocols,” aniya.
Dapat munang iwasan ng mga tao ang pagtitipon at mga siksikang lugar. “This is the opposite of what our government is doing now by opening up cinemas, gaming arcade, and theme parks,” ani Solante.
Binigyang diin din ni Solante na “limit the mobility of people through localized lockdowns.” Aniya, “only essential workers should be allowed to work or go out (and) maintain restricting mobility of those 15 to 17 and those 60 and above.” Kailangan din masiguro ng pamahalaan ang “adequate ventilation and physical distance in public transport and terminals,” dagdag pa ni Solante.
“Suspend F2F (face-to-face) meetings and gatherings especially in restaurants, hotels, and other establishments,” aniya pa.
Kapwa sinabi nina Solante at Leachon na mahalaga na mapabilis ng pamahalaan ang vaccination rollout.
“We should fast track the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) approvals of other reliable vaccines given the worrisome surges now to expand our vaccination ASAP (as soon as possible) with multiple choices and reduce vaccine hesitancy,” ani Leachon.
Dagdag pa niya, ‘’aside from an agile local government units leadership in preventing spreads through granular lockdowns, build up of healthcare capacities, we need to protect our healthcare workers. They should be given top priority in the vaccination program with the available vaccines we have right now.”
Bukod sa nabanggit, mahalaga rin aniya ang “massive testings, quick genomic surveillance and contact tracings.”
