There is a “a big possibility” that the Philippines could experience a surge similar to what is happening now in India if people will not observe the minimum public health standards and the pandemic response will not be intensified.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said this in an ANC interview Friday, April 30, after he was asked regarding the concerns of some health experts that the country could encounter an “India-like” surge in COVID-19.
“Pagka hindi tayo sumunod doon sa ating (if we don’t follow the) minimum public health standard, and if we do not intensify our COVID-19 pandemic response, like what has happened in India and also in some other countries where the second or third waves are being experienced, that’s a big possibility,” Duque said.
India, one of the most populous country in the world, has been facing a major surge in infections, with record-breaking new cases and numerous deaths reported daily across the nation.
“This is a lesson we all have to learn from what’s happening in other countries, we cannot dig our heads into the sand and make it appear that we’re doing okay all the time,” Duque said.
“There’s always ways of doing things better. It’s very dynamic, every day you have to read, every day you have to watch out for what’s happening, what are the best practices, what are the practices that are worth avoiding,” he added.
Over a year into the pandemic, the Philippines has recorded more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 infections. As of April 29, the Department of Health (DOH) reported that the country has 1,028,738 confirmed cases, 942,239 recoveries, and 17,145 deaths.
“At the end of the day, we just have to work together. The whole world is in a crisis, as a matter of fact. Everybody is really reeling from this pandemic. But we must stand in solidarity with each other in this fight against the pandemic,” Duque said.
“At the end of the day, the war against COVID is really on the shoulders of every person so it cannot just be the work of the national government, local government, private sector, faith-based groups, etcetera,” he added.
The health chief pointed out that interventions such as wearing of face masks and face shields, observance of physical distancing, proper ventilations, and avoiding mass gatherings should be observed.
“We are not helpless. We are not without the power to fight this,” he said.