The Department of Health reiterated Monday that there is no immunity passport for the coronavirus disease, reminding the public to avoid being complacent.
As the country slowly reopens its tourism, people are expected to resume traveling and this prompted the Health department to enjoin the public anew to continue observing minimum health standards while keeping in mind that they are not immune to the virus.
“Lagi natin pinaalala na (we keep on reminding everyone that) we do not have an immunity passport. An individual who tested positive for the disease and became negative after can still get the virus,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online media forum.
“Second would be: just because you were tested negative does not mean there is no possibility of testing positive for COVID in the coming days (if you are exposed to an infected individual),” Vergeire added.
She explained that once a person is exposed to an infected individual, there is an appropriate time to get tested.
“Kung saka-sakali na kayo ay na-expose, itong test na ito kapag ginawa natin, na-expose ka kahapon at nag-negative ka, hindi ibig sabihin na hindi ka na magpa-positive in the coming days (If you are exposed yesterday and has tested negative, that does not mean you won’t be positive for the disease in the coming days),” Vergeire stressed.
“Kailangan between fifth to seventh days ka tine-test kapag ikaw ay na-expose because according to experts in this period dito na tumataas ang viral load ng isang tao (You have to be tested during the fifth to seventh days from exposure because, experts say, viral load is high during this period),” she furthered.
The Health official also emphasized that even with the presence of a vaccine in the future, the public must not stop from practicing minimum health standards such as wearing a mask, face shield, and observing physical distancing.
“We need to continue doing the minimum health standards. This would go hand-in-hand with the vaccines. Hindi natin ititigil yan kahit may bakuna na (It will not stop even with a vaccine),” Vergeire said.
According to Vergeire, the Philippines is currently classified with community transmission despite the downward of cases. “We can still see clusters of infection in the other areas in the country,” she added.