The Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the largest coronavirus disease (COVID-19) referral hospital in the country, is prepared for the possibility of a surge in infections following the threat of the Omicron variant.
In an interview with TeleRadyo, PGH Spokesperson said the state-run hospital is ready to convert non-COVID wards to cater COVID-19 patients if cases start to rise again.
"Meron talaga kaming contingency plan. Sa PGH may set number of manpower at facilities, hindi naman kami magdadagdag. So talagang magkakaroon ng adjustment pag nakikita namin na dumadami na yung COVID (We have a contigency plan. At PGH, there's a set number of manpower and facilities, we don't add more. So there will definitely be an adjustment when we see that number of COVID-19 is increasing again)," Del Rosario said.
"Parang kagaya dati magbubukas ka ng COVID ward, isasara mo yung ibang non-COVID ward, magre-realign ka ng mga tao, medyo sanay na kami sa ganoong operation kaya mabilis na yung transition (Just like before, we will open a COVID ward and close other non-COVID wards, we will realign people. We are quite used to that kind of operation so the transition is fast)," he added.
Del Rosario also warned the public against complacency amid declining COVID-19 cases.
"Although bumaba yung numero, ang virus po ay nandyan pa kaya I think hindi pa muna talaga tayong pwedeng magpabaya... So kahit nag-ease up po yung ating restriction level, kailangan po yung basic, mag-mask ka, maghugas ka ng kamay, wag kang pumunta dun sa siksikan na lugar, at try to go out mas open air, wag muna sa enclosed spaces as much as possible (Although the number of COVID-19 cases has dropped, the virus is still there, so let's not be neglectful. Even we if eased up our restriction level, we still need to remember the basics, wear a mask, wash your hands, don't go to crowded places, try to go to open air spaces, avoid enclosed spaces as much as possible)," he added.
As of Sunday, Dec. 5, only 63 of PGH's 325 COVID-19 beds are currently occupied.