An expert sees the possibility of placing Metro Manila under an Alert Level 2 status by February 2022.

National Task Force (NTF) against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) special adviser Dr. Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa said that Metro Manila’s Alert Level status may be downgraded from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 if cases continuously decline.

“Marami pa ang kaso natin. Nasa 33,000 tayo nationwide, pero pwede ‘no. Tinitignan ko ‘yung datos ng Metro Manila, ang bilis bumagsak ng numero (We still have many cases. We have about 33,000 nationwide, but it is possible. I’m looking at the data for Metro Manila, and I can see that the cases are declining fast),” said Herbosa in an interview over DZBB on Saturday, Jan. 22.

Herbosa likewise said that the areas with the most number of new infections now were located outside Metro Manila.

“Ang natin 30 plus per day, karamihan ngayon ay nasa labas ng National Capital Region (NCR). In fact, nagdeklara nga tayo ng Alert Level 4 sa norte. Doon dumadami talaga, dito sa atin sa NCR pabagsak ang numero ng mga kaso (Our areas with about 30 plus cases per day were now recorded mostly outside NCR. In fact, we’ve declared Alert Level 4 in the north. The cases there are increasing, but here in NCR, our cases are decreasing),” he said.

Herbosa added that he is hoping that the “data will be good” and that the COVID-19 admissions and cases continuously decline.

“Pwede. Sana maganda ‘yung mga datos natin sa mga hospital, although puno pa rin ‘no. Pero di naman gagaling agad ang mga na-confine d’yan. It will take them two to three weeks bago sila ma-discharge so the hospitals will continue to fill up. Alam mo naman na isa ‘yan sa mga factor whether ibababa na ang Alert Level status or not (It is possible. I hope our data in our hospitals will be good, even though it is still full. However, those who are confined there will not recover immediately. It will take them two to three weeks before they are discharged so the hospitals will continue to fill up. know that it is one of the factors whether the Alert Level status will be lowered or not),” Herbosa said.