The gathering of people even if it is held in a well-ventilated place or open space such as rallies is considered as a "superspreader” event, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday, May 1.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) could take place when people huddle close to each other.
“Lagi ho nating pinapaalala sa ating mga kababayan na yung pagkukumpol kumpol ng tao kahit kayo ay nasa maaliwalas na lugar o nasa open space kayo ay maaari pa ring makapag cause ng pagkakahawa-hawaan at mas mabilis ang transmission ng pagkakahawa-hawaan (We have been reminding our countrymen that the gathering of people in clusters even in well-ventilated place or in open space, you can cause the transmission and the transmission is much faster),” she said during the Laging Handa briefing.
She issued the reminder as various labor groups gathered at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City to bat for cash aid for workers and the abolition of the National Task Force on Ending Local Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
“Sana po kahit mayroon tayong mga ganitong activities na naiintindihan naman po ng ating mga officials, pero kailangan mag-practice pa rin tayo ng health protocols natin (I hope that even if we have this kind of activities that the officials understand, we have to strictly observe health protocols)” she said.