The government's pandemic task force has ordered the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 to implement an increase in the availability of bed capacity in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal (NCR-plus) as the country continues to experience a spike in coronavirus cases.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the statement following the increasing hospital utilization rate in the country, particularly in the NCR-plus areas which have all been escalated to Alert Level 3 until January 15.
As of January 9, NCR has hit the following healthcare utilization rate:
- ICU beds (1,100 beds): 52 percent utilized
- Isolation beds (4,700 beds): 50 percent utilized
- Ward beds (4,600 beds): 65 percent utilized
- Ventilators (1,000 units): 26 percent utilized
Aside from the increase in bed capacity, Nograles said the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases likewise tasked the NTF to coordinate with the relevant stakeholders to integrate monitoring of the capacity of Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) in its measurement of health systems capacity.
The NTF is also tasked to ensure that patients needing care are promptly and appropriately referred; and to reassess the capacity of TTMFs, increase TTMF capacity where needed, and remove any referral quotas from hospitals.
The Department of Health (DOH) Field Implementation and Coordination Team (FICT) and the NTF Health Facilities Sub-Cluster, on the other hand, have been instructed to immediately communicate with NCR hospitals to determine how the COVID-19 bed capacity is being allocated.
The NTF Health Facilities Sub-Cluster, together with the DOH Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, has been instructed to increase the capacity of telehealth and telemedicine outside NCR.
The IATF Sub-Technical Working Group (sTWG) on Data Analytics has also recommended that the One Hospital Command Center ensure as close to real-time updating of health systems capacity as possible based on functional bed capacity to take into consideration the level of available health care workers.
Meanwhile, the IATF TWG on Data Analytics has tasked the Community Response Cluster (CRC) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that Emergency Operations Centers with functional triage areas are in place in all local government units. These shall oversee patient navigation so that only those needing hospitalization are brought to the health facilities.
The CRC and DILG were also directed to ensure that those undergoing home isolation or quarantine are monitored by Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams and that access to testing, treatment, and facility referral be made available, especially for the elderly, those with comorbidities, or those belonging to vulnerable sectors.
They were likewise directed to intensify active case finding in the NCR-plus areas and to intensify active case finding and contact tracing strictly up to the third generation in all areas under Alert Level 2.
"We encourage all who become symptomatic to immediately isolate as this will help control transmission," he said.
"Home isolation is recommended for those with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19. But local government units should be able to provide services such as telemedicine and immediate referral so that those requiring additional management may be assessed and treated appropriately," he added.
Additionally, the IATF sTWG on Data Analytics has recommended the following to the COVID-19 Laboratory Network:
- Increase RT-PCR testing capacity in NCR-plus areas so as to handle the influx of tests by ensuring that laboratories are operational seven days a week
- Prioritize A2 and A3 populations for testing
- Fast-track applications for Licenses to Operate for new RT-PCR laboratories
- Promptly provide commodities for swabbing and testing
Finally, Nograles said that the National Vaccination Operations Center was directed to increase vaccination rates outside NCR as soon as possible.